The portable home that builds itself in under ten minutes

Building a house is a lifelong dream for some. And thanks to new flat-pack homes, it’s one that can be achieved – in under ten minutes.

Created by UK firm Ten Fold Engineering, the uBox measures to about 645 square feet (60 square meters) once unfolded. The portable building can assemble itself automatically, without the need for foundations or heavy machinery.

There are other variations. Each portable home uses a patented lever system that enables different parts of the structure to move simultaneously as the building unfolds. Like shipping containers, the houses can be stacked on top of one another for storage or transport.

The structures become sealed when packed away, and you can store things inside them.

MUJI hut, Japan by MUJI —

Known for their minimalist clothes and homegoods, Japanese retailer Muji have brought their aesthetic to prefab housing with Mujihut. The structure costs $27,000.

MUJI hut, Japan by MUJI —

The structure, which is currently only available in Japan, is clad in burnt cedar, a design detail inspired by traditional shipbuilding methods.

KODA, Estonia by KODASEMA —

Estonian design collective Kodasema has designed this pre-fab home that they say can take less than a day to build.

Cabins by Ark Shlter —

The designers behind Ark Shelter created a prefabricated cabin that can be installed without a foundation. The structure, which starts at $59,000, includes everything from the furniture to a rainwater collection system and wind-power generator.

Retreat in Fina Aguy, Uruguay by MAPA Architects —

The team at MAPA Architects devised a contemporary retreat that was fabricated in a factory near Montevideo, Uruguay, and then transported to the site in Pueblo Edén.

Retreat in Fina Aguy, Uruguay by MAPA Architects —

The 115-square-meter property, made of two identical blocks, can be disassembled without affecting its surrounding nature.

Eve House, Australia by Prebuilt —

Australian company Prebuilt offers custom modular homes, as well as four predesigned models conceived by architecture firm Pleysier Perkins. The Eve model is available in seven different configurations and features a large covered outdoor entertaining area.

Dune Road Beach House, New York by Resolution: 4 Architecture —

Resolution: 4 Architecture devised a system called "the Modern Modular," which uses a range of components with different layouts to create a custom design.

Dune Road Beach House, New York by Resolution: 4 Architecture —

Located on Long Island, New York, this compact two-story house offers 360 degree views.

Gapahuk, Norway by Snøhetta —

Architecture firm Snøhetta collaborated with Norwegian company Rindalshytte on Gapahuk. The roof of the cabin twists, allowing the home to be open on both ends and flooded with light from the floor to ceiling windows.

BREEZE, California by Blu Homes —

The California company Blu Homes offers seven high-end, customizable prefab designs. The Breeze model, which starts at starts at $890,000, has an open floor plan, sliding glass walls and a butterfly roof.

Sonoma weeHouse, California by Alchemy Architects —

Minnesota-based firm Alchemy Architects created weeHouse, a modular housing system that uses building blocks that can be combined, providing up to 2.400 square feet.

Marfa weeHouse, Texas by Alchemy Architects —

This 440-square-feet house came complete with outdoor shed, interior and exterior.

Prefab house by Cover —

Cover specializes in backyard buildings ranging in size from guest room to a two bedroom unit. The structures cost $250-350 per square foot and can be manufactured and installed in 12 weeks.

Prefab, Texas by Kasita —

The Kasita packs plenty of modern amenities, including a queen bed, washer/dryer combo, and Sonos sound system, into a small package. The 352 sq. ft. structure and entry staircase cost $139,000.

Atwater Village, California by LivingHomes —

In addition to their line of lower cost, LEED platinum houses, which start at $139,000, LivingHomes collaborates with architect Ray Kappe and architecture firm KieranTimberlake on a number of models.

Make It Right Home, Louisiana by LivingHomes —

The company also worked with Make it Right to develop and build 150 affordable homes in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward.

The 'prefab' housing resurgence

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The ready-to-use homes have been designed to offer flexibility to homeowners, said British architect David Martyn, who founded Ten Fold Engineering seven years ago.

“In our new world, we need agility because things change all the time,” he said. “Nothing else can be moved at the speed that modern life demands.

“The question was: ‘Can you actually get something that is big enough to be useful, to work in and to carry the things you need?’” Martyn said. “We tried to develop something that could be transported using traditional systems like trucks; that could unload without cranes or workmen; and that could be done in minutes, so you didn’t lose any time.”

Although initially designed as homes, the structures can be used as offices, shops, restaurants or exhibitions. This flexibility is crucial, said Martyn.

“You could have it up on a mountain in the winter and on the beach in the summer,” he said. “I know that sounds like just a rich person’s thing, but it isn’t. A school could have a classroom (in one place) during term time (and) elsewhere during summer. There’s more opportunity for more people, and less redundancy and waste.”

So far, the idea has proven popular in the retail, housing, events, mining and energy sectors, according to Ten Fold’s business development manager, Andrea De Boer.

“Depending on the individual’s requirements, these can be either bespoke, made-to-order or mass-manufactured,” she said.

Rolling Huts by Olson Kundig —

Situated in a flood-prone valley, these six huts are designed as holiday retreats, and are raised on wheels to protect them from water. Each hut has a living room, bedroom, bathroom, wood-fired stove and wrap-around deck.

Dom'Up by Bruno de Grunne and Nicolas d'Ursel —

Designed by an arborist with a team of architects, this tree house includes a large terrace and an interior that fits up to four people. It is made of steel, canvas, tarpaulin, timber and rope netting.

Glastonbury Solar Concept Tent by Kaleidoscope and Orange —

This shelter, designed for festival-goers, is covered by a dome of solar panels. The energy collected can be used to charge mobile devices, thanks to photovoltaic threads embedded in the fabric.

Koleliba by Hristina Hristova —

It may look small, but this home, which sits atop a trailer, includes a kitchen, bathroom, storage and foldaway double bed.  

A-Z Wagon Station by Andrea Zittel —

Designed by American artist Andrea Zittel, these lightweight, movable cabins are located on her A-Z West compound near the Joshua Tree National Park. Visitors can stay in these spartan steel and aluminum wagons twice a year in exchange for an hour's labor each day.

The XS by So-Cal Teardrops —

This modern twist on the traditional teardrop trailer, complete with a fully equipped kitchen and two-person sleeping quarters, can be customized with a variety of finishes and accessories.

Camper Bike by Kevin Cyr —

Perched on a tricycle and constructed from corrugated aluminum, plexiglas, plywood and timber, this pedal-powered concept mobile home is large enough for one person.

Camper Kart by Kevin Cyr —

This variation, comprising chipboard, nylon, canvas and a common shopping cart, can be pushed rather than peddled.

"Mobitecture: Architecture on the Move" by Rebecca Roke, published by Phaidon, is out now.

Architects reimagine mobile architecture

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