#RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS
WE VISITED THE POP UP HOUSE
Who doesn't love a good field trip?
The Pop Up House made its share of buzz on the web last week. With its location a mere thirty minutes north of our offices, we decided that a foray to Aix-en-Provence was in order.
Set in an archetypal grove of towering pine trees, Multipod Studio‘s 150 m² prototype is more Scandinavian contemporary than traditional Provencal, but what is most interesting about the concept is its basic anatomy. The Pop Up House is made almost entirely of insulation. Its structure consists of a wooden frame of 27 mm thick and 30 cm wide Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and several blocks of expanded polystyrene (EPS) – a material that is typically used as external insulation.
Multipod Studio’s director, Corentin Thiercelin, had the idea while watching the installation of EPS insulation at his parents’ home. “I was sure that I could do the same thing – but without the concrete,” he explained.
After a year of R&D, assembly testing and structural tests, the Pop Up House prototype was popped together in four days using nothing more than screws and a screw driver. Equally impressive is the overall efficiency of both the material and the cost. At 200€ per square meter (for the structure without finishing elements) and with an annual heating requirement of less than 15 kWh per square meter, the project meets its goal of providing “an affordable passive house”.
So why EPS rather than the host of eco-friendly materials (woolglass, cork, hemp, etc.)? Mr Thiercelin clarifies: “EPS is affordable, ultra light, readily available and can be easily recycled, so we began the process with polystyrene. However, other types of insulation can easily replace the EPS.”
The EPS used in the prototype is classified at a SE fire standard. To increase the fire-resistance and make it impermeable, the studio dressed the prototype with an airtight membrane and fiber cement siding, both inside and out.
The prototype also needed to be 100% demountable, so certain elements that would be present in a permanent structure (for example, a permanent foundation and an expandable foam sealant for the joints) had to be excluded. While a foundation is not necessary, these elements would be advisable for the ultimate longevity of the structure.
As self-diagnosed design addicts, we really loved the interior. It’s extremely spacious and full of natural light, and the use of exotic ibe wood in contrast with the fiber cement siding created a modern, industrial feel. An interior cutout also allowed visitors to see the structure beneath the finishing elements.
An exciting project with lots of potential, MultiPod Studio is currently looking for manufacturers to certify, develop and market the concept.