Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources and personal resources.
People in Mekong Delta, with an average income under 100 USD per month mainly live in cheap temporary houses. Ironically, poor structures result in high maintenance fee. Therefore, low-cost but permanent house is an urgent social issue here.
“The aim of this serial project is to provide stable but lightweight, permanent but affordable homes for low-income earners in a harsh tropical climate”
Vietnam's Vo Trong Nghia Architects recently displayed its latest S House prototype at the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Designed for low-income families, the simple home is nearing the mass production stage and is expected to cost less than US$1,000 to construct.
To cope with harsh weather of the region, the project utilizes passive design strategies. Nipa palm and corrugated cement is combined to form a "double roof", it helps protect dwellers from excessive rain while providing sufficient thermal comfort. The interior is made up of just one large room and measures 31.6 sq m, the main structure was assembled in 3 hours, the lifespan is expected over 30 years, and the construction cost of a single house.
The current prototype comprises a concrete foundation and raised wooden floor, helping to protect against pests and minor flooding. It also features a galvanized steel frame, corrugated steel sheet roof, and a steel drainage gutter that looks like it has the potential to be rigged up to a basic rainwater collection system.
The charm with this house project is the fact it's created locally, transported by local means and can be financed with local’s earnings, and mainly built with natural materials. Such solution will probably become an export success, working well in other developing countries.
Another sustainable and independent housing is the mobile and very high-tech home the Ecocapsule, however very expensive for 80 000€.
But that's the price you have to pay to live totally off-the-grid anywhere around the world, and the tiny solar and wind-powered dwelling will be available for sale later this year.
Or you could try your luck with the more social and open solution from ATLAS , still you have to pay $75 000 for this elegant solution.Its interior measures 18 sq m, which is split between a snug primary living space on the ground floor, and an even smaller loft area with queen-sized bed. Atlas offers unsurpassed indoor / outdoor experience as you can see on the following photos:
