Tri-Pop Shelter
Concept Owner / Company: Tom Marble/Tom Marble Architecture/Tom Marble – Designer, Steve Shatkin – Fabricator, Tim Tattu – Client
Website: https://tommarble.com/Tri-Pop
Contact: tom@tommarble.com
A kit-of-parts, easy-to-assemble shelter. Originally designed as an event pavilion for a competition, the Tri-Pop was conceived as a portable shelter made of speed-rail and fabric that could be put up or taken down in a matter of hours.
- Quoted Total Cost: $1,250
- Planned Occupancy (1 person/bed): 1 beds
- Estimated Cost Per Bed: $1,250
- Quote’s Total Interior Square Footage: 160 sqft
- Quote Includes # Units: 1 unit
- Used for Shelter Before: Yes, examples in the U.S.
- Readiness: Nearly Ready (Prior Use Cases)
- In Stock / Ready to Ship Today: No
- Manufacturer Identified and Available: N/A
- Setup Speed: 15 days
- Setup Difficulty: Low skill (RV, tent)
- % Built Onsite: >75% – Majority of Structure Assembled and/or Built On-Site
- Portability: Semi-Mobile (detachable, minor disassembly)
- Intended Use of Shelter: Medium Term (1-10 years)
Design
| Design Advantages | Small footprint, quick assembly, adaptable to varying site conditions |
| Manufacturer Identified | Yes |
| Used for shelter in the U.S.? | Yes |
| Prior use examples | Originally designed as an even pavilion, it found its first application as a shade structure for a house in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. |
| Prior use comments | The Client house found that not only is it good for shade during the day, but it also provides a sense of shelter and privacy at night. |
| Building experience comments | As a Pre-Fab structure, there is not really any building as much as there is assembling. |
| Intended use cases | It could be used as a shelter for an individual or several of them could be arranged around an open shared space to create a sense of community |
| R-value (insulation) | 0-10 |
| Risk Category | N/A – Temporary Use |
| Roof Load (PSF) | 0 |
| Indoor Clearance Height (ft) | 8 |
| Waterproof? | No |
| Professional Engineer Stamp? | No |
| Conforms to ICC’s Temporary Structure and Uses Code | This would most likely be classified as tent structure, not a building, with no foundation or permanent building envelope. |
| Other Structural / Safety Comments | As long as it is put up correctly there should be no issues. |
| Sustainability / Green Building Certifications? | None |
| Materials Used / Made of: | Steel |
| Disassembly / Assembly Comments: | You do need a ladder and it goes faster if you have someone helping you. |
| Ideal Mounting Surfaces | Soil (Dirt/Grass), Asphalt / Parking Lot |
| Anchoring Process | No need to anchor — the steel is heavy enough to hold it in place. But for added assurance, you could use sand bags. |
Budget
| Item | Cost ($) | Notes |
| Materials | $1,250 | $1,000 for Steel, $250 for fabric and rope. |
| Labor | $0 | Self-assembled |
| Delivery | $100 | It could all fit in the back of a pick-up truck |
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| Budget Total | $1,350 | |
| Total Per Bed | $1,350 | |
| Total Per Unit | $1,350 | |
| Add-on Items | The Tri-Pop is essentially a frame which can be clad in a variety of materials as the user sees fit. | |
| Check all items that are not included in your quote (i.e. would need to be quoted by outside party) | Flooring, Interior walls, Foundation work, Lighting, Windows, Doors, Electrical distribution, HVAC, Toilet / Washrooms, Basic Kitchen, Delivery Charge | |
| List outside vendors needed to execute (including any architects and engineers) | Steve Shatkin, Tortoise Industries, steel fabricator | |
| Possible Delivery Method(s) | Airdrop, Flat pack module, Regular-sized trailer | |
Timing
| Design (days) | 0 |
| Production (days) | 14 |
| Site Prep (days) | 0 |
| Delivery (days) | |
| Total (days) | 15 |
| Amount in Inventory (#) | 0 |
| Production Capacity | As needed |
| Production Location | Los Angeles, CA, USA |
August 10, 2020