Cambridge University architects have developed a prototype home with flexible wooden partition walls that can be modified to meet the changing needs of residents. The innovation aims to improve living conditions for those who cannot afford expensive refurbishments by reducing waste and carbon emissions. The invention is on display at the London Design Biennale, inviting visitors to experience a home constructed around principles of affordability, sustainability, flexibility, and adaptation.
The Innovation
Instead of demolishing internal brick and/or plaster walls and building new ones, Cambridge researchers have developed Ephemeral, an innovative alternative using engineered wood. The flexible wooden partition walls, developed by Cambridge researcher Ana Gatóo, are made using kerfing, which allows wood to bend without breaking, the same technique employed in the construction of guitars and other stringed instruments. The wooden walls are foldable, movable, and resilient, meaning they can respond to the changing needs of residents.
Gatóo says, “We’ve developed something similar but for walls so people can take total control of their interior spaces. Self-assembly and modular furniture have improved so many people’s lives. If you have lots of money, you can hire a designer and alter the interiors of your house, but if you don’t, you’re stuck with very rigid systems that could be decades out-of-date. We want to empower people to make their spaces their own.”
The team’s ‘rooms of requirement’ provide affordable solutions that can be built into the fabric of the building from its first design or retrofitted. The team emphasizes that their system could be used anywhere in the world, in workplaces as well as in homes, and the researchers have already had encouraging conversations with industry, including with affordable housing developers in India.
The Benefits
The innovation has significant benefits, such as empowering people to adapt their spaces to their needs while slashing housing costs and overcoming some of the hurdles that the construction industry must tackle to be part of a sustainable future. The team is using engineered timber, an affordable and sustainable natural material that stores carbon, and when not in use, it can be repurposed. Thus, the innovation reduces waste and carbon emissions.
Gatóo says, “I’ve worked in development and post-disaster housing with NGOs in many countries around the world, always using sustainable materials. When I started my Ph.D., I wanted to merge making housing more affordable and social with technical innovation and sustainability. This is what our cities of the future need—caring for people and the environment at the same time.”
The Future
The researchers are seeking industry and policy partners to further advance product feasibility for industry-wide adoption. Ephemeral has the potential to change the construction industry for the better, enabling people to adapt their spaces while reducing waste and carbon emissions. The innovation is a significant step forward in the quest for affordable, sustainable, and adaptable homes that can meet the changing needs of residents.
Leave a Reply