Have you just graduated from college? Are you struggling to find an affordable apartment, house or condo? Do you also happen to be interested in eco-friendly solutions to real estate development? [cl] presents what the creators, Australian architects Stutchbury and Pape,call “the house of the future.”
“The Cardboard House is a direct challenge to the housing industry to reduce housing and environmental costs.” Says Stutchbury and Pape and the Ian Buchan Fell Housing Research Unit at University of Sydney (source: TreeHugger). During an exhibit in which the partnership created six pre-fabricated homes that feature roofs made of HDPE plastic (a recyclable plastic made from petroleum) that offer water protection (who wants to live in soggy cardboard?), two hanging water tanks made of the same HDPE plastic material that serve as ballasts for the house, a kitchen and a couple bathroom pods.
The lighting in the house (which has to be pretty minimal) can be powered by a small 12-volt car battery and the bathrooms pods compost waste and creates fertilized, nutrient rich water for gardening (“grey water” becomes “brown water!”).
Indoor Lighting powered by nature herself (or a 12-v battery)
This crib is made from 85% recycled materials but is 100% recyclable. The partnership estimates that “if it was recycled, the house would save 12 cubic metres of landfill, 39 trees and 30,000 litres of water. Priced at $35,000 AUD.” (source: TreeHugger). That’s about $28k USD, folks. What more, in IKEA fashion, the house comes in a kit that takes an estimated 6 hours to assemble. This is Scandinavian Design (see: Alvar Aalto) at it’s best with a democratic design and an organic material base of wood and cardboard.
Easily-Assembled?
Although we can’t see the practical use for this house, yet, we endorse these wild Aussie architects and are looking forward for more projects from the firm.
Lewis Corson
