Pallet House
The present structure, made from transport pallets, was the winning project in the "gaudi" international student competition and has been exhibited in Venice and other European cities. Since pallets are usually disposed of as refuse of burned after use, the house is a showpiece for sustainability and environmental thinking, as well as being low-cost. The development would, therefore, lend itself to an application in poorer countries of the world. The various pallet sizes available and the simple treatment they require make them suitable objects for self-help situations. They can bear great loads and can be used for walls, floors and facades. Structural additions, services, insulation and even forms of glazing could be housed in the spaces between the boards. The relatively small size of the units makes the concept extremely flexible. In the future, the house will be available as a passive-energy structure with rainwater storage facilities. The system is being developed as a serial product; and next year, the first Pallet House will be opened in a township of Johannesburg.
