Top image: The Module House by Tatiana Bilbao Architects.
Ever wanted an über-groovy and sustainable home designed by a world-class architect but didn't think you could afford it? Well, Paperhouses has you covered. An open source platform that offers free downloadable blueprints, Paperhouses brings together a collective of top-tier architects from around the world who are giving away the designs to some of their most stunning projects.
Paperhouses has also gathered up a network of building partners, if you need help bringing your dream house to life with the added benefit of reduced bulk pricing. The site provides the extra service because, as Paperhouses notes, "free information is only beneficial if it can be implemented."
Here are the six designs currently featured on Paperhouses:
1. The Folk House by Spora Architects, Adam Hatvani and Tibor Dekany (Budapest)
"The basic idea is a longitudinally organized house, which is similar to a traditional Hungarian farmhouse, with lower level common spaces, but bedrooms in addition, like in any private home today. The entire ground floor has a solid base, concrete structure, on which the upper level is mounted — a wood and steel structure — almost afloat. This system has a strong core and provides a variety of opportunities to expand in the longitudinal direction. For example, the rooms can be interchanged or new rooms can be added. This is a very simple formula, widely used and has many possible variations."
2. The Module House by Tatiana Bilbao Architects (Mexico City)
"The design is based on a fixed modular width, which allows ventilation between the two sides. Built and finished in concrete, cantilevers provide a balance between daylight and shade, regardless of constructed orientation. In proposed version: 3 BR/4 BATH, living, dining, and separate kitchen, family room up in private area."
3. Our Private Sky by Florian Busch Architects (Tokyo)
"Our Private Sky juxtaposes privacy and exposure in an interior patio oriented toward sunlight. The house is optimized for its local specific circumstances; the concept is proposed in several sizes. In proposed version: 4 BR/3 BATH, living room, open kitchen."
4. The Bolt House by Panorama Arquitectos (Santiago)
"A house designed to build on sloped land, generally more affordable than flat land. Staggered rectangular volumes are adaptable to inclined terrain, and modular distribution allows for simple extensions. Maximize living space and minimize wall construction. Enclosure is made of structural insulated panels and creates a highly thermally efficient building with the lowest cost-per-R available. Different cladding options available. White metal depicted. In proposed version: 3 BR/2 BATH, living room, open kitchen, and study."
5. House as a System by Dekleva Gregoric Arhitekti (Ljubljana)
"The compact proto-house defines a basic unit of a system. A single story volume with a central core and a set of XL windows that outline its particular appearance. It can work as a small primary or holiday home, or a module within a system thereof."
6. An Imaginary House for Silence by Dellekamp Arquitectos (Mexico City)
"An Imaginary House for Silence reflects upon an enduring interest in creating a space that is formed by a close relationship with nature, where one can live intimately in the natural world. The house emerges from the essence of the forest, where towering trees surround and protect the body, creating a magical environment of dappled light in the quiet solitude of nature. By our human weakness, we are moved to leave a contemplative and tranquil mark on the site. Like a cloister, characterized by its intimacy and purity, the structure thoughtfully concentrates the elements and the surrounding environment in an architectural space."
Paperhouses' Participating Architects
Carl Turner Architects
Christ Christ
Christian Pottgiesser
Dekleva Gregoric Arhitekti
Dellekamp Arquitectos
EMBT (Enric Miralles – Benedetta Tagliabue)
Florian Busch Architects
Jun Igarashi
Panorama Arquitectos
SPBR
Spora Architects
Tatiana Bilbao S.C.
