Designed by Martin Azua, Basic House is a foldable, inflatable, and reversible quasi-tent that provides instant shelter. The material is a metallicized polyester that, once unfolded, self inflates with body heat or from the heat of the sun. On the inside, the material reflects body heat to protect from cold. When reversed, the material reflects solar heat to provide a cool interior.

The Basic House can be used in any situations where temporary shelter is needed. The concept is especially relevant in light of the increased need for immediate shelter after emergencies.

Martin Azua is a Barcelona based designer whose designs explore using a minimal amount of material and rely on natural processes or forms of energy to complete the work. The Basic House prototype has been part of collections at MoMA and Vitra Design Museum.



Casa Básica / Basic House from martinazua on Vimeo.

Images: Martin Azua

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com