There are many vunerable communities in Latin America that have suffered from natural disasters like earthquakes and severe flooding. These families are in desperate need for proper, durable and affordable housing.

The $700 house offers flexible construction at an incredibly low cost. The house can easily be dismantled, moved and rebuilt on a new site with the same materials. Furthermore, it’s a strong but adjustable structure makes the design resistant to earthquakes.

“Our aim was to create a cheap and safe ‘real’ house that could be constructed in a short time by volunteers and future owners,” said architects Jan Schreiber and Stefan Becker.

The project was designed for a competition planned by the organization, Un Techo para mi País, which builds emergency houses in nine Latin-American countries. The criteria for the competition included: a budget of $700 per house, the house should occupy a minimal space corresponding to one room of 20m², assembly in two days by inexperienced workers, easy disassembly and earthquake-resistance for some regions.

“For our $700 House we use bricks because of their sustainability and outstanding qualities,” they said. “They are cheap and locally produced in most Latin-American countries, and maintain a good interior temperature and humidity.” 

Designed by
Jan Schreiber (architect); Stefan Becker (architect) - Berlin, Germany

Website
www.openarchitecturenetwork.org/node/614
www.untechoparamipais.org