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Week 9 (07.12 - 13.12) Kasita — a compact city house of a new format


What can be learned from a year spent in a large container for household waste?


   Accommodation should be cheaper and it should move. To these conclusions came Jeff Wilson (Jeff Wilson), a professor of Huston-Tillotson University, at the end of his voluntary "imprisonment". Now he is a CEO of a company Kasita that has developed a very unconventional idea of modern living, which combines iconic design and innovative technology. Let's find out the details.

The House Kasita consists of two parts: a metal frame and compact block-apartments. Advantages of this arrangement are on the surface.
  •      Each accommodation can get and move to another rack in any part of the world, if there are free cells. It's enough to order a truck through a special application for the iPhone.
  •      No need to pack your things, hire a courier service and settle down again on arrival. Your utensils will not be lost, and repairs are not affected

The base three-story house is about 100 m2. Thus, it can be fit even in a densely populated existing building or on less suitable or previously unused plot of land.


The downside is a small yardage of apartments. The area of each box is equal to 19.3 m2. It may seem that this is too little, however, there are a number of winning factors.
  •      Low cost of rent. According to the creators, the price drops by half at least. And it is very impressive money when it comes to the central areas of major cities.
  •     The full internal equipment of apartments. 




The apartment is packed with full of trendy clever things with a voice control. So light turnes on, runs your favorite playlist or bed rolls. Of course, the options will expand.

Each block has a kitchen, toilet, washing machine and other common amenities.



However, water and electricity come through a normal city highway, which is connected to the rack Kasita. Perhaps later focus will shift in favor of "green" technologies, as is done in Ecocapsule - Autonomous mobile house for two. But it will happen no earlier than in spring 2016.

The first Kasita house in Austin, Texas opens soon. 


Such houses will be built in a dozen US cities and even in Stockholm, Sweden.

What do you think about such city houses? Would you like to have Kasita houses in Poland? Would you buy such an apartment? 







Comments

This idea is very unconventional but seems very interesting. I don’t
understand how possible is access to water, electricity and so on in
such case. But certainly moving the whole part of house to another one
is money saver. Also if there will be one day invented good way of
transporting flats it would be easier to change place of living, the
cost of organizing new flat woudn’t be a problem anymore.


I guess that there will be such houses in the future and they will be
very popular. But as usual to have anything in Poland takes a lot of
time. But when everything will be more clear and realistic I could try
living in such flat.
Kit said…
Just imagine yourself the administrative problems emerging with movable houses! With this portable houses of the future, the only obsolete part that wont let you live your life however you want is government. So I expect it to be illegal to rent a forklift and move your house wherever you want to. Or you'll get some extra taxes for troubles you cause to these poor officials that need to keep track of you.
Unknown said…
Very nice article. I have not heard of this before. I think these are the houses from the future. Building plots in big cities are becoming more expensive, sometimes astronomical prices. The big plus of this idea is the mobility of houses and easy to use ordering by mobile application.
I think, at first, it will develop in larger countries than Poland and more populated cities.
Personally, I would not like to live in such house. There would be not enough space, I don’t like tight spaces.
This is for the people who frequently change their place of residence.
Unknown said…
I think I wouldn't like to live in such a small space. It looks fine but it reminds me of some anti-utopian unified living spaces. I enjoy buying things for the apartment, furniture and stuff and there isn't a lot of space to bring something new into this apartment. I also wonder about the windows. I like big windows but I also value my privacy. In one picture windows are transparent and in the other one there have a milk like color. I don't think it's practical to have such big windows with no blinds while living in the big city where there are a lot of people walking around.

Anyway as I mentioned I like having more space for my things, pets and myself. I also like having parties and not many people could squeeze in there. I don't think I could be a target audience for such a place.
Unknown said…
It's great idea! I like it. I could live in such a house. It is a pity that such a house may be only in the city because I understand that otherwise would be a problem with the water and electricity, isn't it? On the one hand, I really like to live in the city and on the other, I would like a house with a garden. Fantastic is all equipment Kasita house, I mean this all gadgets. I think that even the basic version will be very expensive, maybe in near future and everyone will be able to afford this house. I heard about compact houses but definitely not about houses that move. It's amazing article!
Unknown said…
I have heard a little about it before, I am glad I could have read some more information :) I think it is really interesting concept. I only wonder how useful it could be and if it really could work that way. I love the idea of travelling across the world with the same exact apartment of yours, but I have no idea how it could potentially works ;D I can't imagine it to be honest
Unknown said…
That's how modern technology supposed to look like. But like Kopernik was a heretic same goes to new ideas. We have to wait like couple hundred years to create at least one city from this. I am fun of "sci-fi" technology so i hope some day things like that will be common but now we can only have this ideas. I hope that young inventors will not stop develop even after couple of errors in construction. Da Vinci was doing his best and in his ages he was like "devil child" for humanity but for us he was a great man. We all should follow his steps. We can be little here and now but we never know what will future bring.
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
Sounds like great idea for young people looking for a cheap place to stay in during working week. However the part about moving these containers seems unbelievable, I know that it's physically possible
but I just cant imagine trucks carrying "houses" from one place to the other in a mass scale. For me this concept revolutionise current perception of accommodation, we will no longer have our
own place, we will own certain space which may be moved between many places.
Unknown said…
I don't think it's something I would use as I like more spacious places. But I guess it would work quite well as a temporary house. Like for example when you need to spend 2-3 month working somewhere maybe? Probably would also work for students if the rent really was low. I'm quite curious how would sending your stuff via courier look. Interesting... I also wonder how it works in colder places as you mentioned Stockholm. I mean it doesn't look well insulated, but I don't know.
There might be something to the idea, it might work for some, but I don't think it's something for me.
Unknown said…
If I have to be honest vision of living in Kasita container scares me. I would feel inside a cluastophobia. I agree with Wojtek that sounds like a good solution for people who work eg. during weekend in a different city. Personally, in this type of accommodation I would feel like a hotel rather than at home. Interesting for me is only movement vision of the household container but it is the smallest advendatage of a whole soulution even looking at water or electricity permits in any city.
Unknown said…
First time I hear about this project - it looks interesting so thanks for presenting it in your article. The concept of moving your home from one place to another is tempting, but will it really work? I sense a lot of obstacles and problems, some of which were already mentioned by others here. What's more, I personally wouldn't be able to live in such a small space. This could be a good temporary housing, but it's not enough if you want to spend your whole life there. And I must admit I had a very similar feeling to Paulina's - it does remind of anti-utopian ideas.
Unknown said…
I agree with you that it could be a great temporary apartment. I lived in such small apartment for a year, but I wouldn't want to live in small apartment in future. It is a good idea for a one person.
Unknown said…
Thanks for your comment. I'm not sure about cold places, I didn't find any information about it. But it is a really important part.
Unknown said…
Yeah, it sounds crazy, but it will very useful for people who work in a different places around the world.
Unknown said…
Well, the first Kasita house will be built in spring 2016, at least it is what authors promise. Sooo, we'll see it next spring.
Unknown said…
I'm not sure how it will work either. But it seems very interesting to me and I can't wait seeing the first Kasita house next spring.
Unknown said…
Thank you!

I think that in near future we will be able to see such concepts with your own garden :) Just like 'Now you can move not only your apartment, but your garden'. I think it is possible :D
Unknown said…
Thank you.
As up-mentioned firstly Kasita houses will be built in US cities, then in Sweden and probably in other European countries in future.
Unknown said…
Yeah, I would like to try living in such apartment too.
What about access to electricity and water, I couldn't find any additional information and I am not sure about it as well. But I think it is easy to access an electricity, but not water. It is still unclear for me.
Unknown said…
Is it going to be available in Poland? :>
Tomasz Wojda said…
That is most clever way solving problem of city housing in very crowded and popular european cities. Did any of of you saw it working in netherlands? check it out: https://spinningthegreenwheel.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/shipping-container-university-dormitory-amsterdam.jpg
it is a fact! Its part of very large school infrastructure, helping a lot of students to find their place cheap and close to their univeristy! This solution is easy to maintain and to build. The best is that they are using conteiners so u can change it or connect them with eachother!
Unknown said…
The concept is really interesting. It’s a great solution for singles, student or any other temporary citizens. But when you want to start a family you just need more space. And I don’t think mobility of these constructions is really necessary. When you live in a such small space obviously you don’t have many things. So transporting a whole apartment to another city is not cost-effective.
Michal Kulesza said…
Really nice concept - probably would work in Poland for communal flats - depends on price.

Probably I wouldn't like to live in such tiny house. Containers, without real walls aren't that comfy as brick-builded flats.
Unknown said…
It's an interesting concept, i have never heard of it before. It a great innovation for young people who wants to live by their own, students or traveler. But i think that, when you want to buy or build a house or apartment for the future you also want some space in it, a place to live not only sleep and eat.
It's an interesting concept, I haven't heard of that before. However, as some people here, I wouldn't like to live in such a small place. I wonder if they would make bigger cels in the future - if one apartament consisted of two linked cells, it would fit into that construction as well, and be a better place to live, especially if you wanted to live with someone else.
Unknown said…
Very interesting idea. Personally, however, I would not want to live in a container:)
From time to time in the architecture appear newer and newer ideas that surprise.
Thus I was more surprised how in China are built houses and villas. Below I attach a link to an article that describes this process:

http://inhabitat.com/chinese-company-builds-3d-printed-villa-in-less-than-3-hours/3d-printed-villa-by-zhuoda-4/
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
Thanks for the link, it is really interesting! I am always surprised about flats in China, especially about sizes.
Unknown said…
Thank you for the link! I've never heard about those containers in Amsterdam.
I agree with you that it is really useful for students.
Unknown said…
I've lived in such small apartment(also 19km2) and it was really hard to move to another one, I thought I don't have a lot of things, but I was wrong :)
Unknown said…
Yeah, I hope they will be able to build bigger apartments in the future.
Unknown said…
I'm not sure, there are no information about Poland on the website of the company.
But I think if it is a successful project then there will be such houses in Poland.
Woah this is really impressive, especially if you like to travel. If I was able to move my flat wherever I want I would be moving it every month to visit so many places in the world! What is more a standard of living in such a Kasita seems to be very high what is appealing to me absolutely! Have you ever heard about ordering a wooden house from Sweden? You just need to put an order in the internet and the other day a truck comes with a complete set of parts for your house to fold :D
Michal Kulesza said…
Wow, nice containers! There's even more extreme version, of course originating in Japan, Coffin-sized dormitories: http://inhabitat.com/japans-tiny-coffin-sized-apartments-make-your-college-dorm-room-look-like-a-palace/
Unknown said…
It sounds like one of those ideas you can get in the shower, before going to sleep or when talking with friends all night, but we never realize these ideas. I think, Kasita apartaments is a wonderful project and I would gladly buy one of those. I like small spaces (although this one is extremely small) which are modern, clean and with functional decor. Houses like this can be a great option for people who like change or who like to travel, for writers and other freelancers. For many it would be ideal to have a mobile house like this in addition to a normal aparatment.
It probably would be very expensive to have a mobile house now and not everything might work there and maybe renting a flat would be easier, but... Kasita vision is still wonderful and I imagine that houses like these will be more available in the future.
Unknown said…
I think if this idea becomes very popular there will be a lot of such houses and it will be cheaper than just rent a flat.
So I hope this idea will come true.
Julia Osiak said…
This is such a great idea! I love all creative designs of small spaces. 19m2 is not a lot, but if smartly arranged it can be enough. My flat has 20m2 and I love it. If this project works out it would be great to own one of those apartments. Traveling would be so much different. Wherever you would go, you'd always have your home to go back to :)
Unknown said…
It is a great idea. I like it, but I’m not sure will be functioned enough good. Theoretically the downside is a small yardage of apartments, but it should be enough place for the one person. Really good is no need to pack our things, hire a courier service and settle down again on arrival. I think that I might tempted to buy such housing . It is very intriguing and of course very good design.
Unknown said…
This idea is very interesting. I can not imagine how such an apartment is connected to water or sewage system. Personally, I believe that moving to another city isn't cheaper in this solution. Usually when someone carried out, it doesn't take together all the equipment and furniture.

I would not want to live in this apartment because it is too small, I prefer more space.
Kasita is a another example of new modern architecture vision of buildings. It’s designed to people who are mobile and have future plans which are not specified in location. This is an interesting concept for modern society are a refelcation of uncertainty in todays world. This idea of modern age building is quite interesting.
Aleksander M said…
That's minimalism taken to extremes, but I have to admit there's something cool about it. I already heard about this kind of "houses" before and I remember seeing a lot of interesting picures, can't find them right now - but people managed to build all kinds of different structures using similar containers, and there was one particular project that somehow struck with me. I remember reading about a guy who built his own place using 2 similar containers and rent a huge warehouse in order to place those inside. The rent was surprisingly cheap and he created his own indoor skatepark, a garden and parkour training ground inside the warehouse, being able to do basically whatever and whenever he wanted to, making cash inviting people inside as well.

Now that's a great idea!

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