Prefab Inflatable Home + 3D Printed Shell by Hassell, Mars

Schemes

Video

About Hassell

About Eckersley O’Callaghan

Design	Hassell
Client	NASA
Design Team	Xavier De Kestelier, Jonathan Irawan, Shawn Wu, Xuanzhi Huang, Nikolaos Argyros, David Brown
Structural Engineering	Eckersley O’Callaghan
Location	Mars
Project Year	2018

Hassell sets out to design the perfect habitat (prefab inflatable home under 3D printed shell ) for space explorers on the red planet as part of NASA’s international 3D Printed Habitat Challenge.

Hassell team, in collaboration with structural engineers Eckersley O’Callaghan (EOC), was shortlisted to design the world’s first human home on Mars. In Hassell design, an external shell made from local Martian regolith would be built in advance by autonomous robots before exploration teams arrived to construct the interior – a series of prefab inflatable ​‘pods’ containing everything for work and life on Mars.

Hassell aim was to bring a more human element to space design, typically all about maximum efficiency and performance. Hassell habitat - prefab inflatable home and 3D printed shell goes far beyond just ticking the boxes for safety and survival. It’s a home away from home where astronauts can carry out the most important work in the history of space exploration.

Hassell and EOC were shortlisted as a top 10 entry in the challenge.

Another way of living: The Prefabrication and modularity toward circularity in the architecture

Marielle Ferreira Silva <sup>1

1</sup> Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg

marielle.silva@uni.lu

1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Modular and Prefabricated Architecture
4. Slab design process and Discussions
5. Conclusion

Abstract.

The world requires housing capable of addressing the ecological challenge and social changes. Various architecture projects have used alternatives to solve these problems, like housing complexes to increase density, fast and low-cost constructions with prefabricated and modular methods and materials. The concrete will always be rooted in the culture of architecture, even the industry of construction can work with other materials and whose manufacture produces a considerable amount of CO2. Taking into account the different construction cycles and the evolution of uses and users, a change in architectural culture is required. This paper aims to shows that it is possible to achieve the concept of circularity in the built environment through the architectural design process. The research by design methodology was used to develop the recyclable typology named Slab focused on residential prefabrication methods, which will facilitate their disassembly and recycling. As a result, the design process and the models' evolution of the Slab prototypes are presented in this paper. Prioritizing prefabrication and the modularity within the architectural design process has advantages, such highly effective reduce footprint areas, large-scale infrastructure for flexible use, and individual housing units with communal activities, besides, assure the building conditions for future disassembly and recycle.

$50.000 Elon Musk’s Small Prefab Home, Boca Chica, Texas

Floor Plan

About Boxabl

What do Elon Musk and prefab homes have in common? For now at least, a prefab house called Boxabl is Musk’s abode, which, rumor has it, he lives in near SpaceX ground zero in Boca Chica, Texas after selling off nearly all of his real estate holdings.

The 20x20 small prefab home might be commonly known as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or perhaps a guest house, but in the Boxabl world, it’s referred to as Casita. Unlike other small prefab houses, Boxabls have a unique, flat-pack design that allows them to break down to 8.5 feet in width and be delivered onsite via truck, train, air or ship.

The main materials in the prefab home are steel, concrete and EPS foam, specifically chosen for their durability. They don’t degrade like other building materials, so the structures are built to last a lifetime. Not only are Boxabls rated for hurricane-strength winds, but because there isn’t any wood or sheetrock that could be damaged by water, the prefab homes won’t grow mold or deteriorate due to moisture from floods.

In addition, the company said, “Nothing is fireproof. But Boxabl was engineered with fire resistance in mind. The interior and exterior of the structure is clad with non-combustible materials. We think this means flying embers that spread forest fires won’t ignite your Boxabl.”




There are several costs involved in getting a Boxabl set up, including the Casita itself, starting around $50,000. From there, you’ll need land, a foundation and utilities to plug into. You’ll also pay a delivery fee, but the company can hook you up with certified builders to unfold the Boxable for you in your desired location, which takes less than a day. However, the building will save you money in the long run, because it is extremely energy-efficient. Each tiny home relies on a small air conditioning system as needed and has high R value insulation, a tight building envelope and limited thermal bridging to keep the space fairly temperature controlled.

The small prefab home comes wired and plumbed, so it’s ready to accept solar power or any other energy source the buyer chooses. The prefabricated design, complete with nearly everything you need to open the door and move in (including a full-size refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and washer/dryer) is also seen as an option for temporary shelters that can be preloaded with supplies and delivered quickly for emergency response. Currently, there are no customization options, and the company is only taking orders while it completes a manufacturing plant.

You can order small prefab home like that on the Boxable website here