Building a house can not only spell significant impact to homeowners' lives, but it could also affect the environment. This is why an emerging concept in sustainable homes, which is called Kokoon and currently making quite a splash in Finland, is an excellent example.
Kokoon, which is a portable, prefabricated home, is a student project undertaken as part of the Wood Program initiative at the Aalto University School of Arts Design and Architecture. It can be considered a modular home in the sense that the prefabricated parts can be assembled into sections that can be stacked on top of each other. It can easily get dismantled and transported to another location.
The 380-square-foot house was built within a day, with 18 students coming from 13 countries contributing in its construction. There is a dining area, bathroom, kitchen, large bedroom and even a storage and workspace. If made commercially, the students estimate that it could retail for as low as $15,000.
While not exactly revolutionary such as how a company in a previous Tech Times report proposed to 3D print homes, there are those who are saying that Kokoon could very well be the home of the future. There is minimal use of materials and it significantly cuts construction time. The students also cleverly used several techniques to ensure energy efficiency. For example, the house is designed in such a way that each floor can be outfitted with large skylights, eliminating the need for lighting during daytime.
It is easy and cheap to build due to the materials used such as the laminated veneer lumber, a thicker version of plywood where layers of lumber have been glued together. Kokoon is also very portable and versatile. The stacked modules can be oriented both horizontally and vertically and can, therefore, be utilized in various ways.
It is important to note that, presently, it is not yet clear whether it could withstand extreme weather conditions. For instance, can the idea be implemented in tropical countries, which are prone to heavy rains or is it safe to stay inside during winter?
The students, themselves, pointed out that Kokoon is only a temporary shelter and is primarily designed for asylum seekers staying in refugee camps or the homeless. The house is now exhibited in the Museum of Finnish Architecture at Helsinki and is scheduled to travel the country in a few years. The students want to educate the country about the potential of Kokoon and generate interest so it could be improved or used to solve Helsinki's housing shortage as well as the problem entailed in accommodating Syrian refugees in Europe.
