The ‘ECS-p1′ project uses just two components as construction materials: plastic crates — indispensable to the agriculture sector — and regular zip ties.” – designboom.com
via LAU architecture students assemble emergency shelter with plastic crates + ties
so other than a demonstration model, do what? fill the inside of each crate with foam insulation? what’s the strength of the walls, can a roof frame of some sort be laid on top? How could it be made into a real house?
Great questions. I think it’s just a fun school project. But it made me think that someone would easily invent a container, that stacks like cups AND like bricks, and be filled with dirt on site. So imagine something like this but packed tight as components on a pallet – then assembled and filled with dirt. If the units were fastened together more firmly it might be a great way to build earthen walls fast. I think I might draw this idea and post it at Tiny House Design. Maybe someone will try building it.
looks pretty kewl. love the creativity of using easily-bricked thin plastic-walled containers together to form a structure. one wonders whether adding an appropriate cob-straw mix filling (and and using a wall sealant) with these box structures (maybe have the wall two box thick) might actually be a fast and easy way to make a cob house.