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Houses • Italy version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"? Architects: Architech - Architecture and Technology

Area Area of this architecture project Area: 63 m²

version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"? Year Completion year of this architecture project Year: 2011

Text description provided by the architects. In the size of an internationally standardized freight container a wooden container has been developed with different variants for residential uses. The box can be shipped around the world and placed with standard lifting and transport systems for container.

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The first HomeBoxes are experimental objects for construction: They use materials and construction methods which are not typical and almost all components are prototypes.

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Urban planning concept

The HomeBox is designed as a movable home with different location and usage possibilities. A vertically positioned box needs a small base area ('footprint') and could perhaps locate as a solitary ‘nomad’ in urban or rural sites. HomeBoxes can be placed temporarily in gap sites between buildings and on fallow lands.

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The HomeBox could be used as emergency shelter and also for major events such as the soccer World Cup, an Expo or Olympic Games as temporarily hotels or hostels.

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A group of HomeBoxes can create a (temporarily) container village with different urban configurations like streets, roads, squares, etc.

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Why a wooden container?

Worldwide are almost steel containers in use. But wear, repair and maintenance of steel materials are more costly (in term of purchasing costs, welding, etc.) than for wooden materials.

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Wooden constructions can be repaired cheaper and easier. Variation and adjustment to changing necessaries and conditions are easier and cheaper with wooden containers. Live in wooden homes is healthier and more comfortable as in a home made of steel and wood is an environment-friendly material.

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The internationally standardized dimensions of a container allow the worldwide transportation. A HomeBox is in design, installation and handling a house between a mobile home and a small house that could moving with his inhabitants.

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Functional Concept

The HomeBox 1 has three levels all of equal height, the HomeBox 2 has three levels with different heights and a third HomeBox with light cupolas is in planning.



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The installation units like a sanitary room and pantry kitchen with the dining area are located in the lower level, the sleeping area in the middle level and the lounge area at the top level.

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HomeBoxes have a vertical split of the usage: entrance and more ‘public’ areas in ground floor and in the top ‘private’ areas with a view and sunlight.

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Simple stairs combined the levels in the HomeBox but it is also possible to combine two or more boxes with only one stair.