At the ICFF this weekend, a Parsons student walked me through a model for one of the the flat-pak homes that will be placed on a bridge over Sweden's Black River. The students really thought of everything.
Little Houses on the Black River is a collaboration between Parsons, St. Etienne School of Art and Design in France, and the Konstfack University College of Arts, Craft and Design in Stockholm. Take a look!
I like this. I really am in love with the idea of flat-pack, affordable, well designed housing that can be produced on a short turnaround as a response to lack of shelter due to economic or natural disasters. It would be great to see some sort of advancement stages for these things, where the home could have additional sections selected and built upon as the needs increased for the resident, while at the same time maintaining good design, and a solid, healthy living area - both for everyday living and also for safety in settings like tornado alley, hurricane areas, and places with extremes in temperature, both cold and hot.
Not long ago, I read something about temporary housing "shacks" that were built after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, and that some of them still remain. Of course this article lead to the topic of "tiny" houses and information about the "small house society". Check it out:
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/index.htm
http://www.smallhousesociety.org/
Sometimes, when I'm really stressed about how what I own really owns me, I dream of living in the woods in one of these!
Am I crazy? I don't think FlatPaks are affordable. Great design, yes. Affordable, not so much. I was thinking about purchasing one but find them fairly expensive.
Molly, I don't think you're crazy. The flatpacks that we're seeing a lot of now (like the Res4 and others promoted with Dwell) are expensive - but for the house you're getting, I think it's comparable to others in the same size range - a 2100 new built here in Colorado costs about $350,00 and goes up from there.
What I see about these houses being affordable, however, is once the technology and process is in place, they can be produced on a larger scale, and therefore reduce individual costs. The larger scale needed on relief sites are what I find to be a potential opportunity. Why should people have to live in FEMA trailers, when people can live in cleverly designed houses that can be delivered a lot more efficiently.
KT, I think I saw that article about the rescue houses a few weeks ago too.
Thought of building a Gypsy Wagon on a old automobile axle and a wooden frame, it would have a lot in common with a tiny house and could be done like Habitat for Humanity Homes but with a lot less money out lay and time involved. A composting toilet would be neat but bulky an expensive although they have a model for small boats. PG