Case study

Burning Man “Dhome” | Inflatable Shelter

Product:

Client:

Location:

Specialized Shelters

South Winston USA

Burning Man, Nevada USA

Product

Specialized Shelters

Client

South Winston USA

Location

Burning Man, Nevada USA

Dhome's customers include those in temporary housing, glamping, outdoor festival, exhibition, and military and medic
Background

South Winston is a Venture Capitalist firm based in New York. With a focus on emerging technologies and humanitarian philanthropy, South Winston looks to invest in infant startups within these areas and help develop them into viable businesses.

The Design and Fabrication

The Dhome is designed for ultimate convenience and adaptability. It’s a modular unit, meaning it can be easily transported and assembled quickly in any location. The key to this is a central, solid core. This core houses all the essentials for comfortable living – a toilet, sink, power source, cooking facilities, air conditioning, and even the inflation system itself! Think of it as the brain of the Dhome.

The inflatable living or working areas then expand outwards from this core, on either side, just like wings. This design goes beyond just looking cool, though. The iconic “spider leg” design serves a dual purpose. These legs hold up a large shade that covers significant sections of the inflatable structure. This shade keeps things cool and reduces the amount of energy needed to inflate and maintain a comfortable temperature inside.

The Dhome wasn’t built overnight. It took five months of development leading up to Burning Man 2014. The creators went through three prototype structures to test and refine different aspects of the design. They started with the core unit, then built the main dome living space, followed by the special airlock entrance with its “spider legs.”

The Results

The Dhome took its first steps (or should we say inflations?) at Burning Man 2014. This two-week test in the unforgiving desert environment proved its effectiveness for off-grid living. Impressed by its performance, South Winston greenlit a “production” version. Six units were then deployed at Burning Man 2015, further refining the design. The future looks bright for the Dhome, with new versions and layouts in the works for various applications – from temporary housing and glamping to outdoor events and even the military and medical sectors.

The first Dhome inflatable emergency shelter was developed for Burning Man in 2014, and then a modular group of six were deployed the following year for the proof of concept.
The first Dhome inflatable emergency shelter was developed for Burning Man in 2014, and then a modular group of six were deployed the following year for the proof of concept.
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