How much will this cost? The materials are not local so I assume they will cost a fortune. Otherwise I think the idea is cool.
'The $300 House' Challenge
Hi, The costs has been calculated to be marginally over 300 dollars. We have planned to use cement fibre boards with various types of fiber infills. For example, jute fiber is abundantly available in the eastern part of India and in Bangladesh. Bamboo fibers are available locally in south east Asia etc.
Thanks Michael
based on your framing system, this would fall down in a sad heap if anyone leaned on one wall. you should at least be using a U frame on your windows and doors to brace it the house from twisting itself and unjointing.
on a plus note, your wall design would make the house too cold early in the morning, but that is preferable to all the fools who are designing daytime ovens. speaking of ovens, your cooking area needs to be raised. it is dysfunctional at feet level.
I think the idea is very relevant and paramount. The problems outlined here are something the Indian society has been trying to grapple for a very long time. Also with expanding cities and rising prices, this category of people have been affected the most. Also, what needs to be realized is, these dwellings are very much the part of a city's architecture, as much as the people are integral to its working.
However, i am not qualified to comment on the design and the structure in detail, but i can attest to the relevance of the problem outlined here. good work.
Is this cement fibre board something that would be made by hand, or an imported material? I assume that jute binds better with lime or magnesium oxide based cement than with Portland. It also seems likely that your steel frame is going to overprice this and make it impossible for people to build themselves.
Reopening an old post. The idea is great, but I have only one question. How does one "wayfind" around these clusters? What are the ways a resident can identify his unit / street / neighbourhood in this? Also, we have seen that anything that is "given" to a community (even if they pay for it partially or fully) is never taken ownership of, by the community. Is there a way to create a sense of ownership here? Unlike tribal communities that share resources because they are all from the same stock and therefore have ownership of their spaces, in urban slums, there may be many sub-communities or even individuals who may not fit in with the rest. So, some of these complex problems will need to be dealt with in the design itself.
Comments