Mobile Homes

Housing is a major issue for many people. Quick construction using minimal resources is the main goal of homes for refugees. However, it's not just the less fortunate who need housing that can be swiftly set up and even moved to a new location if necessary. Professor Jeff Wilson from Texas came up with a concept for apartments that can be "unplugged" and relocated to a new home. This idea struck him while living in a dumpster. Jeff Wilson wasn't forced to live like a homeless person, but his quest for new ideas led him to take drastic measures.

Back home, Professor from the University of Houston-Tillotson decided to turn his new experience into the concept of mobile apartments called Kasita. The primary feature of these apartments is their ability to move when relocating, maintaining the layout and familiar arrangement of items.

Functionality of Kasita Apartments

Features of these modular homes include:

• The house consists of 9 blocks, each serving as an apartment with an area of approximately 215 square feet. The entire structure occupies 990 square feet.
• The construction can be moved and placed among regular homes. The entire assembly process takes no more than a day. A specialized service handles the moving of modules, and to "relocate," one simply needs to fill out a request in the mobile application.
• The blocks are made of a metal frame, glass, and plastic. Universal connectors make it easy to connect the apartment to city utilities.
• The furniture in the apartment is modular with compartmental partitions. The apartment allows for control over light, electricity, heat consumption, and more. Rent for the apartment is $600.

The only issue with this home at the moment is its uniqueness. The project was launched in spring 2016 in Austin, and to take advantage of the relocation feature, an entire network of such homes is required. Nevertheless, construction of such buildings in another 10 U.S. cities is planned in the near future.