UPU – Universal Pneumatic Unit
Experiment with inflated building and shelters had started in 1917, when F.W. Lanchester of Britain received the original patent for a tent or roof structure supported by internal air pressure. In 1943 a proposal for an air-supported dome to house an airplane factory was presented to the Architectural League of New York. In the next years various companies and organizations like RAF, Goodyear, NASA continued research and work with inflatable lightweight buildings using innovative fabrics and technologies. Space explorations companies have long been developing new habitation units intended to enable astronauts to live and work in space. Many architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Peter Cook with Archigram Group, Frei Otto, Nicolas Grimshaw & Partners were attracted by pneumatic technology and designed inflatable structures and innovative buildings with high architectural quality. Inflatable technology has the potential to create personal shelters for protection as well as to build monumental structures to preserve whole ecosystems.
Air-filled shape can be an extension to the body and can offer potential security, which becomes familiar to us at very early age. The smell, touch and even taste of air-tight PVC is discovered by small children. Inflatable mobile house provide safety during an expedition to the unfamiliar territory just like inflated armbands around the arms of novice swimmer.
The most successful species on the planet are not the strongest or most powerful, but these more able to change. Inflatable devices possess that ability in abundance, that can be exploited to great effect.
When inflatable structure is filled with air, it becomes amazingly light for its size. Deflated object’s size can be than interesting small. Qualities associated with inflatable structures are: unconventionality, portability, adaptability, energy efficiency.
New technologies created hi-tech inflatable materials with low weigh and high strength.
UPU unit is conceived as the temporary living-working quarter providing comfortable and relatively spacious living area.A high level of adaptability means that UPU unit can be transformed on demands into various systems: from independent, single-unit suit, through several-units joined living-working space, to multi-unit integrated base of operation for research, humanitarian or military purposes. UPU can propose a multi-functional neighborhood that can be used to re-house victims of major disaster, shelter workers in remote areas or accommodate holiday makers at seasonal resorts.
UPU enable to create temporary villages where communityconvened on a specific location for a limited amount of time. Up to four people will able to live and relax at 52 square meters useful area of the single UPU unit. Each individual is able to connect his personal “bubble” to another in order to create a temporary community or “moment village” like that of a camp site or festival gathering. Society is becoming increasingly mobile. UPU Pneumatic Unit is a portable habitat for modern nomads.
The structure of UPU is a combination of rigid and inflatable technologies. The two methods are used to create a lightweight and highly mobile unit possessing big strength in resistance to the environment, even an extreme like hot desert or ice-cold polar region.
Central rigid part of the unit is made of light and resistant polymer material and hosts all on-board facilities: bathroom (with chemical toilet by SEBACH, wash-basin and shower), kitchen (with cooking place, food storage, trash container), wardrobe and storage space, two sluices (porches), air-condition by AERMEC and air compressor (for self-inflating).Rigid cabin unit is connected with two inflatable halves made of a series of tubes welded together to create air-tight cover. It is fully functioning air-supported structure and does not require any internal truss system for support. This makes it very quick to install and dismantle and means that UPU can be used on any surface. The inflatable enclosure is made of two-ply of hi-tech lightweight material as Mylar. Air-filled Mylar “pillow” is very strong, resistant and rigid enough to make the construction stable. The material is also long-lasting, recyclable, provides excellent insulation and is not degraded by sunlight. Thanks to non-stick surface it is therefore self-cleaning.
The air captured in the inflatable shell insulates the module from the temperatures of the environment. Additional polystyrene termo-insulation panelsby URSAare used inside the structure, between inflatable walls and lightweight internal covering panels. Inflatable floor is internally insulated with the same material and then covered with cork panels supported by lightweight folding floor grill. A rubber-like polymer protective material covers the external bottom part of the unit, being in contact with the ground.
Both frontal panel walls (”windows”) and side doors are made all in rigid high-transparent material for a open filling of space and good penetration of day-light. Panels can be removed for joining units. Additional waterproof collar can be used for protection joints. UPU units can be joined together both along the length and breadth.Structure of the unit can be inflected along its body, which enables to adjust to the configuration of the ground. Range of inflection is about 20°.
The internal space of UPU can be arranged and altered to suit inhabitant’s own needs and preferences. During transportation all fittings, folding or inflatable furniture can be stored in the central rigid init, together with internal wall panels and cork panels of the floor.
The UPU module is compact enough in its deflated state to be carried from place to place using common transportation vehicles. Dimensions: L 250 cm x W 600cm x H 330 cm enable transport by truck, at the car-trailer or in the hold of middle size supply plane.
The structure inflates quickly thanks to build in air-compressor (supplied by generator or electrically) and after few finishing acts as insulation and fixing internal panels it is immediately ready to use. Unit dimensions after inflating are: L 960 cm x W 600 cm x H 330 cm. UPU can be deflated and packed away as easily as it was installed.
UPU Universal Pneumatic Unit is the innovative feature which can be satisfactory design suitable for many purposes.Lowweigh, low cost, mobility, facility to transport and mounting, makes them ideal accessories for travelers and people with mobile lifestyle. It is also attractive solution for research, humanitarian or military purposes. Where larger capacity is required, UPU structures can be used in multiples to create outdoor complex. Suitable for any place, climate and any ground conditions.With interesting, futuristic architectural shape, UPU provides maximum living comfort with minimal effort.