Render and model finished! The Solstone is a humane disaster relief model that focuses on being environmentally friendly and cost effective, while making sure that those benefits don’t come at the cost of the people who live inside. A tiny concrete home with a 258.5 ft² footprint, Solstone provides basic human comfort and safety while occupying the least amount of space possible. In a disaster, displaced individuals can be quickly trained in its fast assembly and land maintenance. This lowers labor costs and thrives in a “pod village” setting, which reduces machinery mobilization costs. Once residents transition out, the village can convert into an open-air homeless shelter facility to permanently serve the community. Our design meets the requirements of a sustainable miniature housing unit using a 3D-printed concrete exterior as well as lightweight insulating concrete (LWIC). This additive manufacturing approach optimizes material efficiency, reduces on-site waste, and lowers the carbon footprint. The layered concrete walls provide a high thermal mass to stabilize interior temperatures, lowering the energy needed for climate control. This efficiency is paired with roof-mounted photovoltaic solar panels, a fuse box, and solar batteries to regulate energy consumption and maximize cost-effectiveness. We kept a strict eye on affordability, bringing the total construction cost to an average of around ~$12,500 per unit. A basic, fast-curing slab foundation costs $2,000-$3,000. The printed exterior costs $2,000, utilizing a double-skin contour for natural air insulation. LWIC concrete blocks are made from cement mixed with expanded polystyrene, which gives them the structure and support they need as well as keeping the cost to only around $3,500 for a roof of our size. Framing for the single-entry door and dual sliding ventilation windows costs $2,000. Core plumbing, surface-mounted electrical conduits, and fixtures total $3,000. Finally, the exterior rain barrel setup and solar grid structure add the remaining $2,000. The interior layout is built to serve our sustainable and humanizing goals down to every feature. The bathroom is placed in the center with two doors, allowing visitors to enter from the living room without invading the private bedroom space. Utilities like a tankless water heater supply on-demand hot water without the space and energy waste of a traditional tank. For space savings, interior doors are accordion style, the bathroom features a space-efficient Danish wet-room shower, and the toilet tank has a built-in sink that routes handwashing greywater straight to the toilet tank to eliminate water waste. Every interior feature is carefully thought out to give residents control over their space. Twin beds sit on a track system to slide together for couples or lock apart for roommates. The living room includes built-in shelves, a collapsible coffee table that folds flat into the floor, a deflatable bean bag, and a couch extension with hidden storage that expands into a fold-out bed. The kitchen is fully equipped with a medium fridge, microwave, sink, and oven, separated from the living space by a double-sided shelf wall. Outside, a unique utility loop reduces ongoing costs. Shower and sink drainage collects in a greywater tank connected to a garden hose or sprinkler, while gutters route rainwater into a barrel for backup water security. Outdoor furniture matches this flexibility: the picnic bench converts or folds flat; camping chairs feature plastic storage tubs as bases, and stackable garden beds accommodate deep-root crops. Finally, a ring of cinder blocks can support a plastic kiddie pool, which drains via a side spigot to open the space up as a community fire pit.
