Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

Prefab Startup Jupe Unveils a $17.5K Flat-Pack Shelter Inspired by “2001: A Space Odyssey”

Prefab Startup Jupe Unveils a $17.5K Flat-Pack Shelter Inspired by “2001: A Space Odyssey”

Available to preorder for $99, the futuristic pod features on-board Wi-Fi and solar power for a plush, off-grid experience.

Going outdoors once meant you were getting away from it all. In our current reality, however, it might just entail taking a much-needed break from the confines of home. To that end, prefab startup Jupe has revealed a new, flat-pack shelter that provides a place to go without having to fully let go.

"Experiencing the natural wonders of the world shouldn’t mean being forced to disconnect while staying in a less-than-inspirational living space," says Jeff Wilson, the cofounder and CEO of Jupe. Wilson drew inspiration for the shelters from 2001: A Space Odyssey, collaborating with boutique hotelier Liz Lambert to channel a refined, intergalactic design aesthetic.

Two people can assemble the outer space–inspired shelter in an hour for a fully equipped, glamping-style experience. Aluminum poles frame a voluminous, 111-square-foot canvas tent that includes a queen-size bed, lofty ceilings, and tiled Baltic birch wood flooring that hides ample storage space. Windows open for added ventilation or light, and the entryway provides panoramic views over the desert, mountains, ocean, or whatever natural marvel lies beyond the front door.

Delivering a hotel-like experience, the shelter can be upgraded to include a more robust solar panel array to power four electrical outlets, USB charging stations, a private Wi-Fi network, and dimmable LED lighting. More extras include a speaker with Alexa capabilities, a lock safe, a cooler, and small porch.

        

The structure can be assembled in an hour by two people. The canvas is fire-resistant, and provides an airy feel.

        

Each unit features a queen-size Nectar mattress, Baltic birch wood flooring, optional LED lighting, and ample storage. Wi-Fi and a single solar-powered battery come stock.

The startup first arrived as Jupe Health in March, aiming to provide rapidly deployable hospital rooms to regions hit hard by the coronavirus. In a new tack, the company now wants to solve for an entirely different effect of the pandemic.

"We found that the hospital overflows expected during the summer didn’t materialize," says Wilson. "We took the same technology and design and reapplied them to a use case that’s been a result of the pandemic-the desire to get out of the city for short-term stays in nature."

This is at least the second time a humanitarian concept by Wilson has been retooled. In 2015, he founded Kasita-a Texas-based company that garnered national attention by developing modular units as a solution to the affordable housing crisis. Today, Kasita is designing and curating hospitality experiences that are "curated for a new era of self-directed travel," according to the company’s website.

        

Here, the unit glows atop a hill overlooking Los Angeles.

        

Jupe sees the shelters as a great option for individuals with extra land, or hoteliers looking to expand accommodations.

Individuals or short-term rental operators looking to place the pop-up on their land can place a refundable preorder for $99 starting Monday, December 21; the shelters have a base price of $17,500, and shipping begins this spring. Until then, Jupe will be showcasing the design at select California locations including Yosemite, Big Bear, Tahoe, and Arrowhead Lake.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
×