http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/ Green design & eco innovation for a better world Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:29:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-191498 Raphael D. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:15:48 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-191498 Heat comments remind me a classic movie : Bridge over the Kwai River! Do you think that adding a coruggated sheet few inches from the actual roof - this air isolation would be sufficient to protect from heat? Eventually this "second shell" could even be larger to provide shade around the Abod. Please comment . Heat comments remind me a classic movie : Bridge over the Kwai River! Do you think that adding a coruggated sheet few inches from the actual roof – this air isolation would be sufficient to protect from heat?
Eventually this “second shell” could even be larger to provide shade around the Abod. Please comment .

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-111711 Thierry Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:01:51 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-111711 Those Abōd homes look really cute. It's exactly the same shape inside as the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, but a bit smaller and hotter ! Those Abōd homes look really cute. It’s exactly the same shape inside as the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, but a bit smaller and hotter !

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-97162 UlrikeDG Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:01:07 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-97162 They've currently got a deal going on for the State Fair. Buy one here, they send one to Africa for free. Check out their website for details. They’ve currently got a deal going on for the State Fair. Buy one here, they send one to Africa for free. Check out their website for details.

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77650 joebob Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:15:14 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77650 Heck, even in the southern US, this design would be so hot as to be unbearable. How about a polycarbonate panel instead of corrugated metal? Heck, even in the southern US, this design would be so hot as to be unbearable.
How about a polycarbonate panel instead of corrugated metal?

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77583 badhuman Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:26:33 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77583 Visually it looks nice but I agree with others that it is probably not pratical in price or design for Southern Africa. Are they using local materials to build these? Visually it looks nice but I agree with others that it is probably not pratical in price or design for Southern Africa. Are they using local materials to build these?

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77287 Richie Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:52:03 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77287 GREAT DESIGN to repurpose ! Excellent comments from Jason, Nat and Deon. However, the brilliance of this design is not in it's implementation as it is presented to us now. Its genius is how this design can be repurposed out of cheaper materials ! If it is made out of bent rebar arches(with welded rebar horizontal elements running it's length), bendable foam board (wire tied to the curve of the rebar), and chicken wire coated with cement inside and out. This method will produce a monolithically strong shell for hardly any cost. THIS is how this design will be implemented extremely cost effectively. Go team ! GREAT DESIGN to repurpose ! Excellent comments from Jason, Nat and Deon. However, the brilliance of this design is not in it’s implementation as it is presented to us now. Its genius is how this design can be repurposed out of cheaper materials ! If it is made out of bent rebar arches(with welded rebar horizontal elements running it’s length), bendable foam board (wire tied to the curve of the rebar), and chicken wire coated with cement inside and out. This method will produce a monolithically strong shell for hardly any cost. THIS is how this design will be implemented extremely cost effectively. Go team !

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77252 david reno Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:27:42 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77252 like nat said, looks hot. I live in brazil, and this metal on the sun will turn the inside a oven. like nat said, looks hot. I live in brazil, and this metal on the sun will turn the inside a oven.

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77180 deon rossouw Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:44:03 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77180 The temerature inside that structure is going to be un-livable in the temperatures of Southern Africa - I reckon that with the ambient temp. in Cape Town reaching 40 centigrade - inside the "sauna" effect will result in temps approaching high 50 degrees - Nice Idea but the cladding needs to be a fibre-board, not steel sheeting. As far as price goes - at $1500 its STILL unaffordable! - the people this is aimed at will still not be able to buy at the local price if around R12000.00 - bearing in mind that even when employed, basic wages are in the order of only R600 per week - Not going to work, FACT! The temerature inside that structure is going to be un-livable in the temperatures of Southern Africa – I reckon that with the ambient temp. in Cape Town reaching 40 centigrade – inside the “sauna” effect will result in temps approaching high 50 degrees – Nice Idea but the cladding needs to be a fibre-board, not steel sheeting.
As far as price goes – at $1500 its STILL unaffordable! – the people this is aimed at will still not be able to buy at the local price if around R12000.00 – bearing in mind that even when employed, basic wages are in the order of only R600 per week – Not going to work, FACT!

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77123 oakling Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:55:12 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77123 They might work well in conjunction with systematic programs that address the causes of all that poverty. And at least it can build up the country's infrastructure.... They might work well in conjunction with systematic programs that address the causes of all that poverty. And at least it can build up the country’s infrastructure….

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77103 Bob Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:21:36 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77103 Quonset hut's comeback! Quonset hut’s comeback!

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77102 nat Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:17:45 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77102 i wonder how hot the siding gets on the inside and outside, since it looks like metal. i wonder how hot the siding gets on the inside and outside, since it looks like metal.

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77083 urbanmike Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:46:54 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77083 Oh, I'd love one of these in the backyard as a work retreat/escape! Oh, I’d love one of these in the backyard as a work retreat/escape!

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77082 Jason Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:25:05 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77082 I could be way off as to the logic of this project, but the rural poor of South Africa can't even afford bicycles to get to work or school. $1500 is completely unaffordable for the people in the villages I have visited and subsidized 'band-aid' approaches tend to be unsustainable. To be successful you really need to optimize the material use or the structure will be taken down and its materials reused elsewhere. Of course a good building might overcome this end. I thought what they needed was a method or pattern to follow to exploit their available means. Maybe these structures do begin to offer this implicitly even though their main goal might be to sell more of themselves. The homes I saw were made of scraps of corrugated sheet steel and (mostly repurpopsed) beams and pipes of all kinds so maybe that's a good place to start. These little structures look really cool though and might work in places I haven't been... This situation, however, leaves me wondering where designers might appropriately and effectively fit in. I could be way off as to the logic of this project, but the rural poor of South Africa can’t even afford bicycles to get to work or school. $1500 is completely unaffordable for the people in the villages I have visited and subsidized ‘band-aid’ approaches tend to be unsustainable. To be successful you really need to optimize the material use or the structure will be taken down and its materials reused elsewhere. Of course a good building might overcome this end. I thought what they needed was a method or pattern to follow to exploit their available means. Maybe these structures do begin to offer this implicitly even though their main goal might be to sell more of themselves. The homes I saw were made of scraps of corrugated sheet steel and (mostly repurpopsed) beams and pipes of all kinds so maybe that’s a good place to start. These little structures look really cool though and might work in places I haven’t been… This situation, however, leaves me wondering where designers might appropriately and effectively fit in.

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77034 Zero Energy and Green Building in New Homes | AB?D: Affordable Prefab for South Africa from BSB Design Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:09:21 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77034 [...] (more…) [...] [...] (more…) [...]

]]> http://inhabitat.com/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/comment-page-1/#comment-77035 Zero Energy and Green Building in New Homes | AB?D: Affordable Prefab for South Africa from BSB Design Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:09:21 +0000 http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/14/abod-prefab-for-africa-from-bsb-design/#comment-77035 [...] (more…) [...] [...] (more…) [...]

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