Cardboard box living is not a new thing but it definitely goes further when looking at the design work done by Fiction Factory. Their very first micro home made out of cardboard with a modular design, the Wikkelhouse, was created some years ago. This Amsterdam studio has actually been working on this home for a really long time.
If you do not want to skim through some of the details, here is a presentation of the Wikkelhouse right from Fiction Factory:
In the gallery below, you can see a micro home that has a modular structure and a really simple design, a classic design. At the moment, there are around 60 such houses that are installed and fully functional in urban and rural areas.
Every single home is made out of segments. One segment is 3.5 meters high and 4.6 meters long, with a weight of around 500 kilograms. Due to this, we are looking at a modular structure that allows the house to be customizable, especially in terms of length. You can add more segments to your home whenever you need them. This can be a huge advantage as the family grows.
Before you buy such a home, you surely want to know how it is made. The house is a prefab home that does include a lot of cardboard. This is not something homeowners are used to.
To keep things as simple as possible, there are 24 layers of cardboard (really high strength) that are wrapped around a pre-made mold. The layers are glued together.
Cardboard layers are topped with coating (waterproof) and wood panels. Wikkelhouses are recyclable and can last up to 100 years.
If you want to buy a full Wikkelhouse, one with bathroom and kitchenette modules, you have to pay $41,000 at a minimum. This does not include installation and transportation costs.
As expected with modular homes, various parts can be customized. You first choose the total footprint you want. Then, you can choose window placement, finishing and interior cladding. Wikkelhouses are built in Amsterdam and then shipped to the location of the buyer.
At the moment, Wikkelhouses can be moved to countries like Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Living in a cardboard box home is nowadays possible and this house is proof.
