Homecontained

Materials and Processes went down to Kansas City last week for a field trip.  This was the first trip where I decided to drive myself, and what a horrible decision that was.  I really need to learn how to get around the city…and..learn to read maps.  Anyways! I arrived in a neighborhood, slightly confused since I didn’t see a big company like I usually do.  I was just surrounded by houses.  However, the further I looked, the clearer it came to me which house we were going to tour.  Debbie Glassberg, former toy designer, has switched from designing little gadgets for children to designing homes.  What makes her work so unique is that she makes these homes from containers.  She got the idea when she attended Canton Fair in China.  Although these containers aren’t exactly a “new” idea, Glassberg’s containers are unique in the way they combine different spaces to make a home.  These homes raise an unlimited amount of possibilities.  They are customizable spaces that can be used to live in, work in, learn in, etc.  They can be temporary or permanent.  Basically, these containers are very flexible to the user’s needs.  Glassberg gave us a tour of her house, which she designed herself.  It was both beautiful and fun, inside and out, and is basically completely recyclable.  The insulation is made from soy foam, insulating board, with no adhesives.  Much of their lighting comes in from the many windows found throughout the house.  There are no curtains or blinds on the windows.  Instead, they are either up high enough to cover the body of anyone walking through the house, or frosted up to that point.   When it is night, they use LED lights, which are cheaper, last long, and use a very small amount of electricity.  They also use geo-thermal heating and cooling.  Her entire yard is edible.  This kind of metal house is very sustainable and has fewer layers than traditional homes.   They hold great against weather.  All you need to do is keep it painted and don’t let it rust, and it will basically last forever.   Debbie Glassberg has introduced a way to live greener in a very modern and stylish way, while also being very customizable.  I would definitely recommend visiting her website and checking out this amazing home at www.homecontained.com