The creators of a “smart” container house that has appeared on the bustling streets of downtown Taipei hope to promote a lifestyle that brings people closer to nature and yet retains the comfort and convenience of modern life.
The house, built from a shipping container that measures 12m by 3.5m, was exhibited in Taipei’s Xinyi District (信義) from Aug. 11 to Sunday last week.
It is to be displayed at the Huazhong Riverside Park in the Wanhua District (萬華) this weekend, before being transported to southern Taiwan to join the 2017 Kaohsiung Building Show from Sept. 1 to 4.
HARNESSING NATURE
Solar panels on the roof of the portable house supply electricity to the building.
“As many as 12 solar panels can be installed on the roof, enough to generate sufficient energy for a small family,” said C-ing Studio (昕益室內設計) executive director Paul Shen (沈柏勳), who is one of the designers of the house.
The walls of the structure are built with materials that can absorb moisture and dissipate heat, said Joe Chen (陳旻宏), initiator of the project and executive vice president of Jon Yei E-Tech Co (中一電工科技), a building material company.
In the next stage, Shen said his company plans to install a rain storage system on the roof so that rainwater can be collected and reused for the shower and toilet.
‘INTELLIGENT’ SYSTEM
Another eye-catching feature of the house is its “intelligent home system,” which allows residents to control home appliances, lights, the security system and other household items using voice commands.
The system can automatically adjust the light and temperature levels inside the house to save energy, said Mimmy Huang, a marketing executive at Jon Yei E-Tech Co.
BIG DREAMS
Among those who have expressed interest in the house are designers looking for a studio and people hoping to start a creative coffee shop, hair salon or other business, she said.
However, Chen said he has bigger dreams.
The ultimate goal is to promote the idea that people should coexist with the environment, he said.
Although it may be difficult for ordinary people to own such a house without also owning a piece of land to place it on, Chen said his team is hoping to gradually promote a new lifestyle and a new business model in which owners could rent land from landowners and take their homes with them wherever they go.
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