There is an old Welsh tradition of the ty unnos, or house in one night: if you could erect a building and have smoke coming from its chimney between sunset and sunrise, you could take ownership of that land. At its heart the ty unnos was about a community coming together for one night, with each individual offering whatever skills they could, for a common good or the good of those in need within that community. This tradition and set of ideals are shared in other folk traditions in cultures around the world, for example in the Amish barn-raisings and the Finnish talkoot.

The Ty Unnos project will bring three new tai unnos to three parts of Wales. The function of each will be decided upon locally; it could be a simple shelter, a meeting room, a home, a meditative place, a community space or even a dovecote perhaps. They will also be fabricated locally, highlighting and developing existing skills and craftspeople, with each new ty unnos being celebrated in the final communal raising of the building.