Printer Friendly
The Free Library
14,505,983 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

Bijou box: this prototype for an easily transportable and economical house shows that small can be beautiful.


First the tiny, tiddly Smart car (AR January 1999), now an ultra compact house which touts an equally impressive economy of space and resources. The challenge, from Munich's Student Housing Authority, was to create an economical, lightweight, transportable, low-energy dwelling prototype. The concept was developed over four years by British architect Richard Horden, professor at the Technical University of Munich Munich University of Technology, or Technical University of Munich (TUM) (in German: Technische Universität München, TUM), is a major German university located in Munich (and the towns of Garching and Freising outside of Munich). , and German practice Haack + Hopfner. As the design team observes, 'We are used to spending time "Spending Time" is the first single released by Christian artist Stellar Kart.

The lyrics describe the band members desire to spend "more time with God". "Sometimes it’s a real struggle to spend time with God.
 in compact spaces--in our cars or when we travel by air. The micro-compact home is informed by both of these in its incorporation of advanced technology and design. Living in it means focusing on the essential--less is more'.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Inspired by the scale and order of the traditional Japanese tea house and the technological sleekness of the aviation and automotive industries Automotive Industries, Ltd. (Hebrew: תעשיות רכב נצרת עלית, תע"ר , the prototypical dwelling is inventively compacted in a 2.65m (9ft) cube. Each house can accommodate up to four people and is divided in sets of zones that fit together with the fiendish precision of a Chinese puzzle Chinese puzzle
n.
1. A very intricate puzzle.

2. Something very difficult or complex.


Chinese puzzle
Noun

a complicated puzzle or problem

Noun 1.
 box. A central axis of entrance and circulation provides access to seating in a lower dining area. An upper bunk bunk, bunker

large storage bin.


bunk forage
forage, usually ensilage stored in a large storage bunk and made available to cattle or other livestock along a face of the storage.
 can be folded out of the way, while the sunken sunk·en  
v. Obsolete
A past participle of sink.

adj.
1. Depressed, fallen in, or hollowed: sunken cheeks.

2.
 dining space also doubles as an additional sleeping area. A compact zone of wet services contains the lavatory, shower and kitchen.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The penchant for Oriental rigour rig·our  
n. Chiefly British
Variant of rigor.


rigour or US rigor
Noun

1.
 also extends to the external treatment. Highly insulated in·su·late  
tr.v. in·su·lat·ed, in·su·lat·ing, in·su·lates
1. To cause to be in a detached or isolated position. See Synonyms at isolate.

2.
 panels of aluminium and glass are mounted on a timber and galvanised aluminium frame. The structure sits slightly elevated above the ground to cut out the time and expense of foundations and to minimise the impact on its surroundings. Groups of units can also be arranged vertically and horizontally around circulation cores in order to form larger, extended communities.

Occupants of the first seven prototypes will be students from Munich's Technical University and architect Richard Horden. The university is keen to test new accommodation solutions as it currently has 90 000 students and only 10 000 flats. Previous experiments included housing students in redundant shipping containers, but at half the size of a container, the micro house needs much less space. While not envisaged as a permanent, long term dwelling, it has obvious potential for the student, business traveller Business Traveller is a CNN International monthly television program hosted by Richard Quest.
  • CNN's Business Traveller Web site
 and holiday home markets. Or it could simply help housing authorities respond to general accommodation shortages. If successful after a year of testing, the micro-compact home will be marketed in Europe with a guide price of [euro]50 000 ([pounds sterling]34 500), around the cost of a mid range executive saloon. Ingenious in both concept and execution, it gives new meaning to that well-worn estate agent soubriquet 'compact but bijou'.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
COPYRIGHT 2006 EMAP Architecture
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2006, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Title Annotation:house
Author:Slessor, Catherine
Publication:The Architectural Review
Geographic Code:4E
Date:May 1, 2006
Words:460
Previous Article:Tree of dreams: a children's day care centre is animated by an arboreal fantasy, inspired by its young users.(interior design)
Next Article:Milano.(products)
Topics:



Related Articles
EDEN REGAINED.(Eden Project, Cornwall, England)
Battle Lab Shrinks Army Tactical Ops Center.
Catching the wind: design review.(Samyn & Partners and Groupe Fabricom contract for wind mast)
BRIEFLY.(Entertainment)(SCREEN SIDESHOW)
'Fahrenheit' red-hot at theaters in Eugene and around country.(General News)(The documentary presents rare and important images, local audiences say)
Super Bowl fans supersize the fun on the Bijou's big screen.(Sports)(The theater hosts a football party to raise funds for a sports center in...
BRIEFLY.(Entertainment)(SCREEN SIDESHOW)
BRIEFLY.(Entertainment)(SCREEN SIDESHOW)
The area's only art house turns 25.(Entertainment)(The Bijou is the city's second-oldest cinema - and its most eclectic)
Pret a Prouve: Thomas Lawson on the tropical house.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles