domus
From DOMUS 592, March 1979.
This project for a mobile and combinable living cell is the result of research conducted by Daniele Geltrudi of Busto Arsizio for his degree thesis.
This kind of habitation can be used in disaster areas (for temporary settlements), for large work sites (for site workers housing), in “parking” areas (temporary dwellings while waiting for the completion of new housing areas or city centre renovation), for pioneer communities (temporary settlements following the advance of civilization in primitive environments), and for tourist communities.
This type of inhabitable and mobile cell is suitable for mass-production.
It groups together a variety of separate design ideas that share the common feature of “condensing” house fittings in highly compact transportable “boxes”.
The result is a flexible space obtained by bellows or telescopic extensions of certain parts of the boxes, or by means of constructed additions in panelling contained in the box itself.
Each of these boxes contains all the internal fittings of a house.
The achievement of the aims of an inhabitable, mobile, combinable module was approached via a study of the “container”, in this case measuring 2.43 m high, by 2.43 m wide by 6.05 m long.
One of the two long sides hinges upwards, and the other hinges downwards.
This allows several containers to be placed side by side.
The resultant larger space is closed by two sliding glass doors.
The interior of the combined containers is then divided in two zones: the service zone and the living zone.
Naturally, the cells are then fitted out according to their intended use.
The frame of the container is in welded box-tubes.
The external walls are in sandwich panels containing two sheets of reinforced polyester.
Metal and reinforced polyester are joined with a two-part epoxide glue.
Four strips of reinforced artificial rubber along the longitudinal edges constitute the hinges for the folding of the sides.
Steel sections bolt tight to hold the parts in rubber.
