The Essential Homes Research Project has been created by the Norman Foster Foundation with the help of Holcim as a temporary home solution developed with the needs of displaced people in mind. The home is presently in the prototype phase and is achieved with rollable concrete sheets as the exterior, while recycled building materials from demolitions act as the base. The home is intended to be easily dismantled and reused or recycled after it has reached its end of life.
The Essential Homes Research Project home has four skylights to maximize the amount of natural light in the space and features wooden finishings on the inside to lend a sense of warmth. A total of three beds with cabinetry and shelving are used to further round out the home as a functional living space.
Image Credit: Chiara Becattini
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Displaced-person Housing Solutions
- The trend is toward designing more affordable and sustainable homes for people who have been displaced due to conflict, natural disasters, or other crises.
- Rollable Concrete Sheets
- This material innovation allows for more durable and flexible construction of homes.
- Recycling Demolition Waste
- Repurposing building materials in new construction reduces waste and increases sustainability.
Where This Applies
- Construction
- The construction industry can take advantage of these innovations to create more affordable and sustainable housing solutions.
- Disaster Relief
- Organizations involved in providing temporary housing solutions for displaced persons can adopt these designs and technologies to improve their offerings.
- Sustainability
- Industries focused on sustainability can invest in similar research projects and innovations to create more environmentally-friendly solutions for a variety of applications.
