A model of the prefabricated paper house
Designers at Bauhaus University have developed a low cost paper house that could be used to provide housing for slum dwellers. From the article in Spiegel:
Niemöller is a co-founder of the Swiss company The Wall AG, which holds the patent for material used in the construction of the mini-homes. But, he says, he envisions the houses — called the “Universal World House” — ultimately being produced in the countries where they are needed. And, he says, the sticker price for the 36 square meter (387.5 square foot) structures won’t be more than $5,000 each.
The material used in the construction of the houses mimics the honeycomb pattern used in the manufacture of airplanes and other products for which both weight and strength are important factors. But instead of using aluminium or other alloys, Niemöller used resin-soaked paper processed to form thin, light — yet strong — panels. The material is also an excellent insulator, and is flexible, making it appropriate in areas at risk of earthquakes.
At a price of $5,000 the house is out of range for some of the poorest of the poor. None the less, Nigeria has already put in an order for 2,400 houses.
-Ben Connor Barrie
Photo via: Spiegel
What would otherwise be thrown as thrash (used sheets) can be turned into fun and education toys for kids. You would be surprised at how many designs are available. For example, there are 50 different paper airplane designs at http://www.paperairplaneshq.com and that’s just one websites. There are thousands of websites that teach how to fold a paper airplane.
thanx cosas realmente extraordinarias