A process for the manufacture, storage and final assembly of self-erecting structures constructed from a plurality of materials and or articles, some or all of which may be flexible and some or all may be impregnated with a curable polymer compound. The structure is folded to reduce its volume and stored in a vacuum sealed package to further reduce its volume and to prevent the impregnated curable polymer compound from curing until such time as curing is desired. When the structure is removed from the vacuum sealed packaging, it returns to its original geometry through the elastomeric memory properties of the materials used to construct the shelter. Once the shelter is removed from the vacuum sealed packaging, curing of the curable polymer compound is naturally or artificially initiated.