This modular housing concept floats on water and is made from recycled plastic

Posted on 25/10/2022 by JC Torres

Some people are already fantasizing about setting up colonies on the Moon and Mars, but we have barely begun to understand and conquer our own seas and oceans. Granted, we might already be killing off these bodies of water because of your carelessness and neglect, but a large portion of the planet’s maritime territory remains unharnessed. Hopefully, however, we can be smarter about how we use this invaluable resource, especially when it comes to building homes below or on top of our waters. There have already been numerous ideas about how houses and even whole communities can be built to float on water, but this more sustainable concept not only respects the marine environment but even creates potential habitats for the creatures of the sea.

Designer: MAST

Although it will definitely require more thinking and resources, it would probably be easier if these new aquatic buildings were made using traditional materials and methods. Of course, that would also mean destroying the very environment that we’re building our new lives on. That’s nothing new as far as what we’ve been doing so far on the ground, but we already should know better by now. A new environment also means being able to start anew using the lessons we’ve learned over the past millennia, and this “Land on Water” vision is exactly that.

The literal foundations of this modular building system actually find their roots in ancient times. It inverts the typical gabion cage design, which is usually filled with rubble to create low-cost foundations and is instead filled with locally sourced, up-cycled floatation support to hold whatever structure is built on top. The flat-packed cages themselves are made from reinforced recycled plastic, making it easier to transport these sturdy modules and assemble them on location.

In addition to avoiding the toxic anti-fouling paints used on steel and concrete foundations, these modules can potentially become new habitats for fish and crustaceans, as well as anchor points for mollusks and seaweed. In other words, Land on Water won’t just be building homes for humans but also homes for marine life that could help support the human community above in turn.

The modular cages can be used to build anything from floating houses to campsites to even pools and saunas, as odd as that might sound for structures built to float on water. Land on Water can even become the blueprint for a new kind of dynamic, off-grid floating community of the future instead of the grand structures painted by some visionaries that still embrace the traditional and harmful practices that are killing off the planet. It might not be a scalable design for supporting large and heavy buildings, but that’s exactly the point of creating smaller, more agile structures that are also more respectful of the environment they’re built on.

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These geodesic domes built from bioceramics are a form of regenerative architecture

Posted on 01/02/2022 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

Geoship is a home building cooperative committed to innovative construction methods that use bioceramics to produce geodesic domes.

As environmental needs continue to influence the trajectory of modern architecture and design, the process of building homes continues to evolve. Vertical forest complexes punctuate city skylines with teeming gardens and prefabricated construction systems are turning into the preferred building method for many architects.

Enter regenerative architecture, a branch of construction that aims to reverse the toll that home building takes on nature, while also producing a net-positive impact on the environment. Geoship, a homebuilding cooperative, uses regenerative building methods for their collection of bioceramic, geodesic domes to carve a new path towards environmentally responsible construction.

Inspired by “the geometry of life,” Geoship’s construction system is defined by the dome’s geodesic shape, chosen for its proximity to several aspects of life, from molecules to the force of gravity itself. Each geodesic dome is also built from nature’s composite, a bioceramic material that forms using, “the same chemical bonding occurs in bones, seashells, and even the ancient pyramids of Giza.”

From the outside of the domes to their insulated interior spaces, Geoship applied a seamless construction process for each material to naturally blend into each other. The building process behind the geodesic domes is affordable and highly efficient to further Geoship’s green initiative.

Supported by a system of struts that outline the dome’s geodesic shape, exterior panels and insulated window frames clad the dome’s frame with weather-resistant and mold-proof facades. Each module that comprises the dome’s structure is connected by a hexagonal hub to ensure secure fastening.

Each module of the geodesic dome is comprised of ceramic crystals that are molded into a triangular shape. Then, the modules are pieced together to form the dome’s geodesic shape.

During the construction process, the carbon required to construct geodesic domes and the modules is far less when compared to traditional home building methods that use sandstone or even passive solar energy.

Amounting to a fire and flood-proof, hurricane and earthquake-resistant home dwelling, the regenerative construction process behind Geoship is also sustainable. Generating zero waste, less CO2 emissions, and a recyclable structure, Geoship’s domes have a 500-year life and can be installed within a very short time frame.

Designed to produce home structures that will remain in place for centuries, Geoship’s regenerative building process is backed by materials science with aim of creating micro-factory and village design platforms to prove the innovative building method’s feasibility.

Designer: Geoship

Geoship’s collection of geodesic homes are constructed using bioceramic building material.

A system of internal struts support the exterior facades of each geodesic dome.

Geoship also conceptualized their geodesic domes in different colors to appeal to different uses.

The geodesic domes form Geoship come in an array of different sizes, from small studios to larger family homes.

Ideated as a village of geodesic domes, Geoship will progress their home building system to clusters of domes to prove the system’s large-scale feasibility.

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Plant Prefab’s patented home building system uses sustainable construction methods to design affordable housing

Posted on 29/01/2022 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

Plant Prefab, a sustainable home construction company committed to prefabricated buildings, launched its patented Plant Building System, allowing for home construction that produces less waste and requires little to no land alteration.

Contributing to nearly 40% of the planet’s carbon greenhouse emissions, home-building generally involves the excessive use of resources, construction waste, and land alterations. As the world moves toward environmental consciousness, various industries are following suit.

Designer: Plant Prefab

In direct response to the world’s cities facing rapid urbanization and large-scale construction projects, Plant Prefab is a sustainable building company that constructs prefabricated homes from a patented Plant Building System.

With the demand for residential homes increasing by the day, more and more architects are opting for prefabricated building methods. Prefabricated building methods, just like Plant Prefab’s Plant Building System, allow architects to construct homes during circumstances that otherwise would not allow for construction to take place.

Explaining this in regard to a custom single-family home designed by the Brown Studio, Plant Prefab says, “Plant prefabricated the home during the late fall and early winter when on-site construction would have been nearly impossible.”

In addition to being able to construct a home during colder seasons, the construction process of prefabricated homes is contained within off-site factories, requiring fewer skilled laborers and producing far less waste from shipping and handling.

Amounting to a construction process that’s 20% to 50% faster than conventional building methods, Plant Prefab’s patented system takes on a hybrid, modular model for home building. Leaning on a modular building system, the method is adaptive by design. As the construction process continues, endless configurations can be brainstormed so that adjustments can be made as needed.

While Plant Prefab is currently committed to custom builds, the company hopes to produce around 900,000square feet of living space per year, which would amount to approximately 800 units of varying sizes. Formed as a solution to combat the impending housing crisis, Plant Prefab’s Plant Building System hopes to join its focus from single and multi-family units with larger-scale developments, like student-based and affordable housing.

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This automated wall-climbing robot was designed by Hausbots to streamline home-construction projects

Posted on 03/01/2022 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

HB1 is an automated wall-climbing robot that was designed to streamline home construction projects.

No matter the size, location, style, or chosen building material–when it comes to constructing houses, it can be a dangerous job. Even with bulky construction vehicles, building homes requires a lot of finesse and attention. As our technological worlds evolve, so do our tools and that includes those used for home construction. Home-building robotics company Hausbots developed an automated, climbing construction robot called HB1 to help get home projects done.

Designed with patent-pending wall climbing technology, HB1 hosts an entirely unique technical system that allows it to scale rough surfaces, overcome obstacles, and safely contribute to home-building. Finished with a payload of 6KG, HB1’s integrated technological system can streamline construction projects such as painting, HD visual inspection, as well as building processes. Hausbots outfitted HB1 42 KG of suction force, which allows the four-wheeled robot to scale vertical surfaces as far as 30m from ground level. HB1 can even climb vertical surfaces that are not totally flat as well, including columns, tanks, and corrugated terrain.

Ensuring HB1 steady movement up and down vertical walls, Hausbots crafted a chassis that creates high-speed airflow that converges with low pressure to generate downforce, allowing it to scale buildings of any size and height. In fact, if builders connect HB1 to a tether from the top of a building’s roof, there is no limit to the robot’s climbing range. For building projects that might call for dangerous jobs, such as painting the eaves of homes or replacing roof shingles, HB1’s built-in robotics serve to speed up the process and ensure a smooth landing.

Designer: Hausbots

HB1 features a four-wheeled build with 42KG suction force.

Featuring a 6KG pay load, HB1 can carry various loads to streamline home projects.

HB1 can climb any radius, including columnar structures.

When tethered to the roof, there is no limit to HB1’s climbing range.

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This Minecraft-inspired modular building system lets you customize your dream cabin!

Posted on 02/04/2021 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

We’ve gotten creative with how we’ve passed the time in quarantine. Some of us have redesigned our entire homes, while some of us have taken up a new hobby. And you can find the rest of us sprawled on the couch playing video games or binge-watching sitcoms. In a sort of ode to how we’ve adapted to quarantine, JaK Studio, an architecture, and design firm based in London and Sarajevo, has designed HOM3, a customizable and modular Minecraft-inspired home-building system.

In creating HOM3, which stands for ‘Home Office Module Cubed,’ the designers at JaK Studio felt inspired by the home-building system featured in Minecraft– the best part of playing video games. To build your own multifunctional HOM3 cabin, JaK Studio is currently working with game designers from AI Interactive to make the process of creating the floor plan feel and look very similar to the process of building your Minecraft home. HOM3 essentially turns the virtual home design process of Minecraft into reality. Speaking to this, founding partner of JaK Studio, Jacob Low says,

“During [the] lockdown, our team became fascinated by the principles of games such as Minecraft which allow people to transform and customize their environments, and we began experimenting with the idea of customizable, modular micro-architecture. HOM3 transports what we found in the gaming world to the physical space, offering a really unique design solution for modern living.”

Committed to artfully showcasing all that we’ve done and learned in quarantine including our environmental impact, the modules built by JaK Studio are made from wood and cork material that has been sustainably sourced or recycled. Additionally, each module is designed following Passivhaus insulating principles, ultimately making for a self-sustained and contained home. The modules that comprise HOM3’s building system start off with a fundamental block module that measures 1.5 x 1.5 meters, which costs $1,193. I wouldn’t mind spending some quality quarantine time here.

Designer: JaK Studio

Future owners of HOM3 have the chance to set the size, shape, configuration, and location of their modular cabin.

HOM3 was designed to create a physical space where owners can spend time how they so choose– whether it be a spa, gym, bedroom, or office space.

The interior is also up to the future owner to configure. Depending on the size of the cabin, users can create space for working, exercising, and sleeping.