Meta Turns to Tent-Based Data Centers to Boost AI Buildout
Techstrong IT, Monday, June 8th, 2026
Meta is using rapid-build tent structures to deploy AI data center capacity in months instead of years.
Meta is deploying AI servers in rapid-deployment tent structures that can be built in months rather than the two to three years required for conventional data centers. The company has constructed six large tent-like structures at its New Albany, Ohio campus, most around 125,000 square feet each, moving from permitting to deployment within months.
Meta is also investing in on-site power generation, including a 200-megawatt installation using modular gas turbines, to overcome electrical capacity bottlenecks.
The shift reflects broader industry urgency, with data center construction now as strategically important as AI model advancement. Estimates put behind-the-meter capacity at up to 13 gigawatts by end of 2027, with Meta planning to spend up to $145 billion on data centers and related projects.