Wits Tent

Passive solar tent - demonstration project built by students at University of Witwatersrand in 1979
The finished tent with 3 of the students that built it. Structure of scaffold poles with cables supporting a waterproofed fabric roof. The tent was allowed to stand for 6 months on its temporary site, while temperatures inside were monitored. Day 1 - Model of net and supports loaded to show deformation
Day 1 - Side view of model Day 1 - Turn ing the first sod (the site had to be restored to its original state at the end of the project) Day 2 - Assembly of the scaffold pole frame Day 2 - Frame in position
Day 3 - Fixing the net Day 3 - Fabrication of windows and doors in workshop Day 4 - The building team after finishing the dry ground slab and block walls Day 4 - Frame with hangers to support flexible roof and ceiling with insulation -side panel installed on dry block wall
Day 4 - Frame with hangers to support flexible roof and ceiling with insulation -side panel installed on dry block wall Day 4 - Tent roof being hung Day 5 - Tent roofed Day 5 - Roof membrane tensioned and fixed to edges.
Day 5 - Cords tensioning roof membrane through waterproofed reinforced holes to suspend insulated ceiling Day 5 - Roof tensioned and fixed to edges. Day 5 Day 5 - work on interior
Day 5 evening - ceiling suspended Day 6 - joinery Day 6 - joinery of windows and tanks installed Day 6 - Interior
Day 6 - Interior Weeks later Day 6 - water storage tanks and spectators