Designing a Dream

01 Jul 2011 CW Staff

Two well-known bloggers, a unique contest and a team that dared - and the result might well be a truly innovative solution for low-cost housing.

If you thought constructing a house for less than US $300 was impossible; think again...
What started as a conceptual argument by academics and ace bloggers - Vijay Govindarajan, Earl C Daum 1924, Professor of International Business and Founding Director of Tuck's Centre for Global Leadership and Christian Sarkar, CEO, Ecosystem Intelligence, and CEO and Founder, Double Loop Marketing LLC - morphed into a full-blown challenge to bring affordable housing to the world's poor.

After initial mention on a blog post on the Harvard Business Review website, the seemingly hypothetical idea drew an overwhelming response from thinkers, investors and designers alike. Eventually, with help from Jovoto, a crowd-sourcing forum for sponsored design competitions, and $25,000 prize money underwritten by international industrial firm Ingersoll Rand, the $300 House-Open Design Challenge was born.

The competition saw the most unusual taker; a team from the Mahindra Partners Division submitted a design entry and managed to walk away with the global award for corporate participation. While the award is for being the only corporate entry, the team will soon be attending, along with other winners, the prototyping workshop organised by the sponsors in
the US.

What led the team to participate? "As a group of professionals interested in finding a solution to the housing crisis, especially in developing countries, we were intrigued with the '$300 house challenge' and thought it was a great opportunity to leverage our individual expertise," explains team mentor Mohan Raghavan. "The brief was to design a dwelling, which would be sustainable, secure, durable, replicable and dignified, within a cost of $300. In our entry, we have not only attempted to address all these factors but have also made a case for commercial viability," he says.

The shortlisted design incorporates all locally available materials such as Suru poles, bamboo walls, FRP for the roof and mud flooring. It can be built easily and at low cost, globally. Also, it is energy efficient and safe enough to withstand tough conditions. The bamboo walls and Suru poles impart strength to withstand storm, fire, rain, snow, earthquake and other natural calamities. The bamboo walls and mud flooring provide natural insulation. The raised plinth and door prevent unwarranted entry of crawling insects and animals, while adding to the level of hygiene. Overall, the design allows natural air flow while making optimum use of materials and ensuring that minimal waste is generated during construction.

Whether the design will make the final cut, remains to be seen...

To share your views on the above article write in at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com

Two well-known bloggers, a unique contest and a team that dared - and the result might well be a truly innovative solution for low-cost housing.If you thought constructing a house for less than US $300 was impossible; think again... What started as a conceptual argument by academics and ace bloggers - Vijay Govindarajan, Earl C Daum 1924, Professor of International Business and Founding Director of Tuck's Centre for Global Leadership and Christian Sarkar, CEO, Ecosystem Intelligence, and CEO and Founder, Double Loop Marketing LLC - morphed into a full-blown challenge to bring affordable housing to the world's poor.After initial mention on a blog post on the Harvard Business Review website, the seemingly hypothetical idea drew an overwhelming response from thinkers, investors and designers alike. Eventually, with help from Jovoto, a crowd-sourcing forum for sponsored design competitions, and $25,000 prize money underwritten by international industrial firm Ingersoll Rand, the $300 House-Open Design Challenge was born.The competition saw the most unusual taker; a team from the Mahindra Partners Division submitted a design entry and managed to walk away with the global award for corporate participation. While the award is for being the only corporate entry, the team will soon be attending, along with other winners, the prototyping workshop organised by the sponsors in the US.What led the team to participate? As a group of professionals interested in finding a solution to the housing crisis, especially in developing countries, we were intrigued with the '$300 house challenge' and thought it was a great opportunity to leverage our individual expertise, explains team mentor Mohan Raghavan. The brief was to design a dwelling, which would be sustainable, secure, durable, replicable and dignified, within a cost of $300. In our entry, we have not only attempted to address all these factors but have also made a case for commercial viability, he says.The shortlisted design incorporates all locally available materials such as Suru poles, bamboo walls, FRP for the roof and mud flooring. It can be built easily and at low cost, globally. Also, it is energy efficient and safe enough to withstand tough conditions. The bamboo walls and Suru poles impart strength to withstand storm, fire, rain, snow, earthquake and other natural calamities. The bamboo walls and mud flooring provide natural insulation. The raised plinth and door prevent unwarranted entry of crawling insects and animals, while adding to the level of hygiene. Overall, the design allows natural air flow while making optimum use of materials and ensuring that minimal waste is generated during construction.Whether the design will make the final cut, remains to be seen...To share your views on the above article write in at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com