After the recent earthquake in Italy, there is more and more talk of rebuilding the devastated villages and relocating the inhabitants who have lost their homes. A potential solution has been developed by a Japanese company: a small house resistant to this kind of disaster, but not only!
We have known for years that Japan is a master in the art of building earthquake-resistant housing, especially since the Kobe earthquake which occurred on January 17, 1995, which killed more than 6,000 people and injured more than 40,000 others. .
From now on, this country continues its research, especially on the level of the grip on the ground of these constructions, and the company Japan Dome House presented the typical example of the antiseismic construction, not bulky, light and economic. This company already markets architect’s houses, but is now embarking on the production of standardized and modular models.
The Dome House is indeed very light and would be, as indicated by its designers, the most resistant construction in the world against earthquakes. Quick to assemble, it only takes a week to set it up, while its cost, for a home, is very affordable: around 6,000 euros.
Presented as the « New habitat for the 21st century » in the video visible at the end of the article, the Dome House has other various advantages. For example, this construction is highly wind resistant, has some kind of UV filter coating, and is said to have the best ratios in the world for durability and energy efficiency.
The Dome House can be used in different ways, depending on the owner’s ideas: main or secondary residence, business (bar, hotel, coffee shop etc.), work office, classroom, or freezer, laundry room, and even music studio.
The dimensions of a classic Dome House (model 7700) are: 7.7 meters in diameter for a height of 3.85 meters, covering an area of 44.2 m². The walls are made of expanded polystyrene (or styrofoam), 17.5 centimeters thick. The construction is also intended not to rot or rust, as well as attract termites. In addition, the shape of the house, as well as the polystyrene walls, contributes to good heat diffusion and avoids losses as much as possible.
Other models exist, in addition to the entry-level Dome House 7700, such as the Long Dome or the Overhang, a kind of small hangar. All this little world can be put together as part of a custom configuration (see below).
Here is the video presentation of the Dome House:
Sources: PositivR – Treehugger