VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - A new shelter designed to help people after a disaster strikes is being unveiled this weekend at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Molo's softshelter has flexible walls that contract, stretch, and join together.
Designer Todd Macallen says it's taken years to perfect. "It's like an expanded honey comb, so several folded pleats pull a wall apart, it expands, and then each wall has magnetic end panels. A wall can be joined to another wall."
For example, if an earthquake hits an area and a public building like a school is still standing, the softshelter can be put in the gym to provide privacy to families forced to live there for months.
Macallen says the reaction so far has been great.
"It's been very positive. Many people can see the benefits and understand the quality to it and the idea of thinking something like this through ahead of time."
The softshelter doesn't have to be used just in times of emergency. It's being showed off this weekend at
Interior Design Show West.
The company is still working on a price.