In 2012, Sven and I designed a multipurpose transportable cube. We initially created it for Randy. Randy decided to use a cheap constructor and they both redesigned the model- but unfortunately with a disappointing result. Sven and I were still a bit in love with our initial design concept, which had much potential in our view. Later on that year, when I spoke with Diederik Hein, Director of INTOS, he was impressed with our cube and a couple of months later they made the first sample of the MYPLACE, the multipurpose, transportable cube. Well, actually two cubes, to be exact!
A nice thing about the Myplace is the so called ‘babushka-effect’. Like the small Russian wooden puppets, it is possible to increase the size from the small IGLEO building block (30x30x30 cm) into the large Myplace building unit (3x3x3 meters). This makes designing houses not oly easy, but also taking it apart and reusing it is simple. It is possible to design a large house with approximately 12 cubes and later add on one ore two additional cubes if needed. Ideal for a couple who wants to buy their first house and later need more space when the kids arrive.
First we designed and built a student house. As usual not to big; an appropriate size so the rent can be kept low, and we added a small veranda in front of it.
THE DESIGN
THE DIMENSIONS
Exterior volume: 11x11x22 blocks (3,3×3,3×6,6 meters)
Interior volume: 9x9x20 blocks (2,7×2,7×6,0 meters)
Interior size: 9×20 blocks (2,7×6,0=18m²)
Weight: ca 3,500 KG (empty)
THE AMOUNTS
listing 1
BUILDING IN PROGRESS
Before we started building the first cube, we made some renders to show on our website ‘www.myplaceismyspace.nl’.
Later on Paul, Sven, Othmar and I started to build the first cube.
Sven is happy.
THE RESULTS
Diederik of Intos took the concept and his colleagues, Ton, Henk and the others did the rest. The result is a beautiful small multipurpose house, dressed in Douglas wood, with a large veranda.
Several interiours were made for Arthur’s photoshoot. He and Othmar worked on it for days. They made and designed the pallet interiour, Marijke designed the other two interiours.
MORE INFO:
TSUNAMI-PROOF? Although the blocks have holes, the house would probably float in water. This house with 1,000 kg extra weight (interior and people) will weigh appoximately 4,500-5,000 KG max. It will cause a water displacement of 5 m3. The floor is about 5 m³ EPS, (20m² by 30 cm=8m³ , x ∼0,6). This means that the water outside will level with the top of the floor. When you use massive blocks for the floor or you add some extra EPS underneath the floor, the house becomes a boat. Of course you still have waves , which probably causes wet feet, but still, an idea for a tsunami-proof house is born.
MORE VARIATIONS. The MYPLACE cubes can be made in a variety of sizes and the cubes can be combined in a lot of different ways. You can always add an additional cube or more later on.