The Crisis The Solution How It Works Climate Impact About Request a Briefing
How it works

Three systems. Nine steps. Under four hours.

Estia assembles by three people, with no heavy machinery and no skilled labor. A balance of repeated and modular parts keeps the system efficient to produce and responsive to any site.

The full nine-step Estia Homes assembly sequence, grouped into base, tent, and interior phases
The full nine-step sequence: base, tent, and interior. Assembled by three people in under four hours.
01 · Base

First, a raised and level floor.

No excavation, no concrete. The home starts by lifting itself off unstable ground.

1
Base · Step 01

Helical piers & foundation

Adjustable helical piers screw directly into the ground and level the structure over uneven or flood-prone terrain.

2
Base · Step 02

Platform framing

A lightweight structural frame spans the piers, forming the deck and floor structure.

3
Base · Step 03

Platform panels & tent base

Floor panels lock onto the frame and the tent base is fixed, readying the platform for the shell.

02 · Tent

Then, the shell unfolds.

The twelve-member folding frame expands like an accordion and the canopy ties in, weathertight.

4
Tent · Step 04

Structural tent deployment

The pre-jointed folding frame is raised and expanded from a compact bundle into the full structural tent.

5
Tent · Step 05

Tent & platform connections

The frame is fixed to the platform, tensioning the structure and anchoring it against wind.

6
Tent · Step 06

Weatherproof canopy tie-in

The outer skin is secured over the frame and sealed, closing the home against rain, snow, and sun.

03 · Interior

Finally, a home takes shape inside.

Pre-built cassettes and panels turn the shell into a complete, private dwelling.

7
Interior · Step 07

Kitchen + bathroom cassettes

Pre-built wet-wall units — kitchen and bathroom — slot into place with plumbing and fittings integrated.

8
Interior · Step 08

Interior wall framing

The inner frame and partition framing divide the space into living, sleeping, and service zones.

9
Interior · Step 09

Interior wall panels

Insulated interior panels complete the walls, finishing the double skin and the home.

The result

Three people. Under four hours. A finished home.

The shelter can be assembled by a team of three people in under four hours — no cranes, no contractors, no site preparation.

3 peopleto assemble
< 4 hoursfrom kit to home
No machineryrequired on site
No skilled laborneeded
All-climate by design

Designed for the hardest places on earth.

The same double-skin system that assembles in four hours keeps families warm in the snow and cool in the sun — passively, without mechanical heating or cooling.

For governments · UN agencies · NGOs · Multilateral partners