A house made of paper for poor and homeless

A house made of paper for poor and homeless

Friday, 23 January 2009 17:34

Gerd Niemoeller, a design engineer has created the ultimate 'wall paper house' from recycled cardboard and newspapers. These accommodation units provide a fine option for the homeless and poor, as it can be built for less than $5000.

Constructed from an innovative cellulose-based material, the Universal World House is light, cheap, well-insulated, and remarkably strong, making it an incredible asset to developing countries, the homeless, and those displaced by disasters.

It measures 36 square meters, weighs about 800 Kg, can be assembled, is environmentally friendly and earthquake-proof. It comes complete with plumbing, eight built-in single and double beds, and basic facilities. Its versatile structure allows its walls to open up to take advantage of daylight and natural ventilation.

The modular prefab is constructed from Swisscell, a material made from cellulose extracted from recycled newspaper and cardboard. The material is impregnated with resin and formed into honeycomb walls that provide excellent insulation and offer a a great strength-to-weight ratio.

The process is extremely cheap, and machinery can be easily mobilized to other countries, cutting down on the impact of shipping the homes and providing local manufacturing jobs. Niemöller has stated: “From the very beginning, our goal was to create practical, environmentally sustainable, and, most importantly, cheap living quarters for the slums of the Earth.”