Multipod Studio is a French architecture firm that has come up with a peculiar and revolutionary housing prototype – the PopUp House. This amazing contraption comes in the form of stackable blocks that can be put together in IKEA style by making use of only a screwdriver and is being touted as easy to build as playing with LEGOs.
The company unveiled this amazing PopUp House design back in 2014. The PopUp House prototype is located in Aix-in-Provence and is a 1,614 square foot structure that features an open layout; the living room is connected to a kitchen, dining area and terrace. It also has two bathrooms, a master bedroom, an office and two smaller bedrooms. Although it doesn’t sound any different than a traditional house, it’s the construction process that renders it unique; it takes four days to complete the construction and requires only an electric screwdriver.
You can order it for $1,200 and $1,900 depending upon the quality of the materials and the features you opt for. Once you settle down on the design and place an order, a PopUp kit that is comprised of patented recyclable wooden building blocks shall be sent to you. These building blocks are built out of EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam insulation that is sandwiched between veneer lumber boards that are waterproof and laminated. You can easily snap them together to create the basic structure of a house; walls, floors and ceilings.
You can order an instruction manual, with an additional cost of $1,640 or you can let the company’s construction team carry out the installation for you. The team takes 4 days to complete the construction and uses only an electric screwdriver. The house is watertight and airtight and keeps the heat locked in quite effectively.
Co-founder Corentin Thiercelin said, “A PopUp House can be whatever you wish it to be: a small and cozy country lodge, an urban two-story house, or a spacious open office.”
As of now, it can be purchased only in France, however, the team is working to expand operation to UK and US. The firm says, “Heating represents close to 28 percent of global energy consumption and is one of the main household costs. Determined to develop solutions, Multipod Studio have patented a unique approach to passive construction that delivers outstanding thermal insulation at an affordable cost. The materials used are inexpensive so the cost remains unbeatable and the thermal envelope created means no additional heating is necessary.”
“You can order it for $1,200 and $1,900” … per square foot.
Whoops. Per square meter.
You get what you pay for. I highly doubt that this popup house would stand up against strong winds, slow down an in-house fire, or last against marble to golf ball sized hail.
I would be intresred in learning more.
ok, ok, nice concept. but where is the plumbing? where are all the wires?
Yep… and houses are already built like this.. This may be a new material but the steps and effort are pretty much the same.