Robert Bridges: Providing Shelter
with the Help of a ShopBot
Robert Bridges is a carpenter, woodworker, designer, and pioneer in the use of CNC
tools in the construction industry. A strong desire to help those in distress inspired
the Shelter 2.0 project, to both supply housing to those in need and to encourage
innovation in the production of emergency and transitional housing. “Hearing about
tent cities popping up around the country due to the economy, and then the
devastation in Haiti, inspired me to do something. That’s how the Shelter 2.0
project got started.”
WHERE Eastern Shore of Virginia
BUSINESS Shore Tech Mfg shoretechmfg.com
SHOPBOT PRSalpha 96 X 60
INSPIRATIONS “These guys got me thinking about building
in a whole new way – how to move from
traditional processes to digital fabrication”:
ShopBot’s Bill Young, boat carpenter and
digital fabrication designer, who introduced
Robert to CNC technology.
Prof. Lawrence Sass, Dennis Michaud
and Daniel Smithwick from MIT. They
built the full-scale “Digitally Fabricated
House for New Orleans,” exhibited at MoMA.
WHAT’S NEXT Raising funds to bring shelters to Haiti
(visit shelter20.com to contribute).
"My ultimate goal is to get this technology
in the hands of people who can learn it
and build for themselves."
To download the design files to make
your own Bridges-designed Shelter,
snap this code with your smartphone,
or visit www.shelter20.com.
Robert designed and cut his shelter using
ShopBot Tools. It has a floor, room for insulation,
and can house four people. The shelters are also
being used as MakerSheds at Maker Faires
around the country.
ShopBotTools.com;;;;;;;;;;;;;Ŕ
