Concept semi-permanent Homes unveiled

This concept semi-permanent house recently unveiled by Norman Foster provides an exciting, innovative and basically really cool modern homes for those who have been displaced for any number of reasons, and is designed to assist those who might end up being displaced for up to 20 years. It has some great innovations such as a rolled concrete shell, hi-tech insulation and it looks like a plywood interior all of which are 100% recyclable, but the reality is that although it creates a space that those of us who are design conscious would envy as a holiday home, how easy is it for this to be adapted to crisis areas, imported and erected in a short time to fulfil a desperate need.

The reality is that this is a great concept but it looks expensive and also appears to require a good deal of on-site installation skills to achieve the internal finishes visible in the published images. Unattractive and unfashionable as they are, if you look to the wide range of shapes and sizes of caravans or trailer-park homes, many years have been spent in making these comfortable, highly efficient, economic with space, and fully assembled off-site, the solution is already there!

Still, if architects do not continue to challenge the norm and think 'out of the box', then we will not progress a better standard of living and environment for all, and this exercise involving architecture students, a leading housing charity, and one of the most famous architects on this planet has certainly endeavoured to take the challenge to the next level.