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A “Microhome” Made Out of Cardboard That Lasts 100 Years

Friday, August 5, 2016 15:35
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by Alexa Erickson, Collective Evolution

Tiny homes have become a social movement we can’t ignore. People all over the world are choosing to downsize the space they live in for a happier life.

In the U.S., for instance, the typical American home is around 2,600 square feet, but the typical tiny home is only between 100 and 400 square feet. They come in all shapes, sizes, and forms, but they all have one thing in common: they allow simpler living in a smaller, more efficient environment.

People have joined this movement for many reasons, whether it be concerns over the environment or their own finances, or the desire for more time and freedom. Most Americans spend 1/3 to 1/2 of their income on their homes, which means they spend 15 years working just to pay for it. This has caused 76 percent of Americans to live paycheck to paycheck. But for what? People who turn to this movement are done trying to prove themselves. They just just want a lifestyle that can make them feel good from the inside out.

The Cardboard Home

As mentioned above, tiny homes come in many forms. But have you hard of one made out of cardboard? While most people wouldn’t think this type of material to be suitable for building a comfortable and safe abode, award winning architects have discovered how to use it to produce remarkably sturdy and reliable shelters. Dutch design studio Fiction Factory has created a design for a tiny “microhome” using cardboard. Complete with a multitude of applications such as disaster relief, they claim it can last up to 100 years.

Called the Wikkelhouse, or “wrapper house,” the home is made of tough corrugated cardboard panels that adhere to each other with a non-toxic and environmentally-friendly glue.

How It Works

A large spindle is used to wrap the glued layers of cardboard around the dwelling’s pre-fabricated modular segments a total of 24 times. This makes for a well-insulated and strong structure. The 1.2-meter (47 inches) thick, 500-kilogram (1,100 pounds) modules are then combined and assembled to create a bigger structure that doesn’t require a permanent foundation.
 
As for keeping out the elements, the cardboard is coated with a waterproof, breathable film called Miotex, and topped off with an open façade siding system of pine slats. So long as the coating is reapplied at least every 30 years, this style of home is thought to last for decades.

Easy And Eco-Friendly

This design makes way for an almost infinite number of layouts and a variety of sizes.  The assembly of the home takes a mere day or two to complete, and the modules can be transported almost anywhere to be reused. They are also mostly recyclable.

Windows can be added on wherever you so please, and different areas such as a kitchen, bathroom and shower can be included using “smart home-segments.” The interiors are completed with plywood panelling for the walls to provide a naturally-minimalistic atmosphere.

The Cost Of A Wikkelhouse

Whole most people spend the bulk of their money just to live in their home, that’s not the case with this innovative style of home, as each one costs approximately USD $4,500. A completed version of a basic Wikkelhouse comes in at around USD $80,000. Quite a bit cheaper and much more eco-friendly than a typical home, the idea is fascinating, and provides just one more approach to the social movement away from bigger homes.
 
The company is currently working on an off-grid, more self-sustainable model, so stay tuned!
 
Check out the below video for more information:
 
https://youtu.be/si6fjHuCj7Q

 

Inspired by balance, Alexa finds that her true inner peace comes from executing a well-rounded lifestyle. An avid yogi, hiker, beach bum, music and art enthusiast, salad aficionado, adventure seeker, animal lover, and professional writer, she is an active individual who loves to express herself through the power of words.

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Source: http://soundofheart.org/galacticfreepress/content/%E2%80%9Cmicrohome%E2%80%9D-made-out-cardboard-lasts-100-years

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  • Slave quarters.

  • Great idea until it rains real hard and floods , like for 40 days and 40 nights or so ( unless Wikel house becomes Wikel Arc which I highly doubt because it’s made of CARDBOARD) !!! My guess is it would become Wikel Sub and just give its occupants that horrible “Sinking” feeling !!! In other words Wikel-Leaks !!!

  • Yeah, A cardboard house with a wood stove. What could possibly go wrong there?

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