The future of living: Top 5 alternative housing ideas
From imaginations of everybody's childhood dream - tree houses - to fun things like living in a tent: nowadays' concepts of housing aren't necessarily limited to four stone walls.
Here are our favorite architectural concepts that combine sustainability, modernity and a whole lot of fun.
The modern tree house
Aibek Almassov’s tree houses are part of a project that aims to offer people an alternative to the bustle of city life. Mature trees are being chosen to build a cylindrical glass cocoon around. Within this cocoon, different platforms are constructed to be the foundation for your own future home. As you get higher in the building you can get out over the canopy and look out into the sky. Unfortunately the first tree house hasn’t been built so far — but only the architect’s concept design makes us already want to leave the city.
Shipping container homes
Shipping crate homes are a fantastic urban development. They can be made into an architectural and design feat as well as be used as a clever solution for the affordable housing shortage like they do in the Netherlands. Shipping containers are relatively cheap and they are made from recycled material so do not cause any damage to the earth.
Green roof homes
Actually the only difference between a green roof home and a regular house is that the roof is covered with vegetation. Some green homes have installed irrigation systems and drainage while others use it simple to have a garden on the roof. They can serve several practical purposes like providing insulation for the house, catching excess rainwater, lowering temperature in the house or create more wildlife habitat.
Modular homes
Modular homes really are the future of housing. The houses are built in a factory and then transported to the building location where it is simply assembled. The biggest advantage in a modular home is that it can be finished within weeks as opposed to months when building a “regular” home.
Yurts
A yurt is a traditional Mongolian nomad tent. The tent has an intricate wooden structure and is covered with skins. These days’ yurts can have a more modern material choice such as metal or Plexiglas framing, making them permanent housing structures. A yurt would be an amazing choice for alternative housing because of its history and its uniqueness.
