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Foam Can Be Built In A Day

August 12, 2008 at 4:57 PM Lawrence Hall 3 comments

Someone tell the three little piggies to forget their straw, wood and brick houses because I’ve seen the future – and it’s all made of foam.

Already mushrooming up in Japan (where else?) these styrofoam houses are being touted as the solution to the world’s housing crisis. You know those polystyrene cups of tea you get from burger vans? These are made of the same stuff.

Developed by International Dome House Co, they’re quickly-assembled, customisable and cheap (around $30000), so they’re certainly ticking a lot of the sustainable housing boxes (and for those of you living on a faultline they’re earthquake-proof too), but I’m not entirely convinced about their environmental credentials.

Yes, they’re ridiculously well insulated, being made from, duh, foam insulation, but when everyone else seems to be moving away from petrochemical related products these foamy smurf homes would seem to be flying in the face of future sustainability.

Of course I could be wrong … and they are damn cute. Ahhh to hell with the environment, where do I sign?

(More information over at Pink Tentacle)

Entry filed under: Architecture & Design. Tags: Architecture, Environment, Foam, Japan.