HexaPod – All in One Modular Interconnected Living System

As I was brainstorming, I was thinking about what I could create. I first thought about what shape I wanted to go with. I wanted a shape that tessellates well, so as to prevent wasted space. My initial thought was a square, but then I thought about common tessellating patterns, and decided on the hexagon. This is because the hexagon wastes the least space and has a lot of sides, so as to connect between pods. I then planned out how I would make my 'pods' buildable and what to make it out of. I decided on wood, because it is cheap, light, and easy to put together. I decided on a piece-based build, so that if a piece is broken here and there, it will still work if you simply discard the broken piece, no need to replace the whole thing. I decided on tarpaulin for the sides and roof and bottom, as it is cheap (relatively) and weather resistant and waterproof. The tarpaulin in the sides, have zips, so that you can move from one to another very easily. I decided on a modular fit, so that it can be used in any flat environment for any purpose. Each module can be customized within the mas producible frame, for any purpose. It is therefore usable in its current wood state for housing the unsheltered and disaster relief. If made out of aluminum, it can even be used as semi-permanent low income housing and scientific research.

For designing

1. Fusion 360/Revit/Any similar software (for designing)
2. Blender/Any similar software (for finishing touches/rendering)

For building

1. Wood/Aluminum/Steel (depending on permanence)
2. Zippers
3. PVC Tarpaulin/PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric
4. Industrial glue
5. Waterproof Wood Sealant
6. Stakes

Ideally, a single structure would be able to withstand all environments, from heat to cold, rain and no rain. I wanted to use materials that could withstand all of these, and further materials that are interchangeable for different scenarios. The ideal environment for this is grass, of any sort, or dirt, so that the stakes can go deep into the ground and prevent wind from blowing the structures away. With specialized stakes/weight, it can even be put on asphalt.

1. Estimated Lifespan: (Depends on how it is constructed)
2. Wood (sealed) + PVC Tarp: 5–8 years
3. Aluminum + PVC Tarp: 10–15 years
4. Steel (galvanized) + PVC Tarp: 10–20 years
5. Wood (sealed) + PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric: 8–10 years
6. Aluminum + PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric: 10–20 years
7. Steel (galvanized) + PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric: 15–25 years

1. Cost Estimation: Depends on Bulk/Supplier/Region (USA Estimates)
2. Wood (sealed) + PVC Tarp: $300–$600
3. Aluminum + PVC Tarp: $600–$1,000
4. Steel (galvanized) + PVC Tarp: $800–$1,200
5. Wood (sealed) + PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric: $400–$700
6. Aluminum + PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric: $700–$1,100
7. Steel (galvanized) + PVC-Coated Polyester Fabric: $900–$1,300

1. Ease of Assembly/Disassembly
2. Due to its modular and easy to connect/disconnect nature, it can be assembled by even nonprofessionals (team of 2-3)

1. Size Specs
2. Hexagon Type: Regular (equilateral)
3. Flat-to-Flat Diameter: 4.0 meters
4. Gives enough internal space for multiple uses and people
5. Internal Floor Area: ~13.86 m²
6. Wall Height (Vertical or Sloped): 3.0 meters
7. Total Height (if pointed/angled roof): ~3.0–3.3 meters
8. Allows for good ventilation, storage, and solar panel tilt if desired
9. Entryway/Zipped Wall Opening: ~1.8 m high × 1.2 m wide
10. Reasoning for Size
11. Spacious enough for sleeping, working, and shared functions.
12. Still modular and compact enough for rapid deployment.
13. 3 m height provides headroom and better insulation layering (hot/cold zones).
14. Works equally well for:
15. Individual housing
16. Shared kitchens
17. Classrooms
18. Clinics
19. Storage
20. Community hubs

I started by firing up Fusion 360 and creating a mathematically ideal hexagon that fits together well.

I then made the hexagon hollow, so that people could live inside, and to be as cheap as possible and save resources.

I then added holes to the hexagon: 6 for the poles to connect to, and 6 for stakes to connect to.

I then duplicated the base and positioned it over top of the previously made base.

I then made the supporting rod, making sure that the size of the cylinders are perfectly made to fit in the hexagonal bases' holes.

Here, I realized that I have made the holes to far to the sides, and that it wouldn't fit in with other hexagons if I keep the holes where they are.

I redid the bases, so that the holes are closer in, so that the poles don't interfere in the pods connecting to each other.

I once again put the rod through the base, and was pleased to see that now it worked perfectly.

I created 5 more rods and made sure that they all fit together.

I then changed the material to wood.

I realized that the rods on the sides need to be slightly smaller, so to keep in the modular fit, I changed the size of all the rods, to be slightly smaller, but still large enough to support the bases.

I then realized that I had made the rods slightly too long, so I then fixed the length of the rods.

Finally, I finished my base in Fusion 360, with all perfected sizes of rods and bases.

I then imported the base into blender and began adding the walls and roof.

I started by adding the 'walls' of tarp. The blue lines represent the zips.

I then added a roof and floor also made of tarp.

This is what a house made with this building system looks like. It is completely customizable based on the needs. All modules can be made into anything, and all modules can be connected with one another.

Multiple houses can be connected, to share modules with facilities that are very expensive or unessential.

Very large housing complexes can also be made this way, with each house reinforcing all the other houses. This also saves a lot of space, as it has no wasted space.

Houses can also be assembled like so, to allow residents to have a lawn.

In this, you can only move between pods if both residents choose to open them, so privacy is not an issue. Additionally, they can be made with steel/denser aluminum for a more permanent settlement. Solar panels can also be installed for even less of an environmental footprint.

This modular design is also viable for temporary medical centers, as well as temporary schools. Entire temporary-(semi) permanent communities can be built on this.

Fusion 360 for having a student plan 🙏🙏🙏

Blender for being free 🙏🙏🙏