Plant Integrated $300 House for Survival and Homesteading

Reposting here a design I did several years ago about a $300 house based around the concept of plant integration.

$300 Plant-centric sustainable housing

We actually constructed a full scale unit for an architectural design competition, complete with plants.

The idea that plants and housing can be inexpensively integrated to create commerce, food, security and shelter is what communities must encourage for long term planet sustainability.

Here is the text from the entry summary:

"My final design for the $300 home is based on years of work in developing a low cost, lightweight and affordable living roof and wall system to feed the Urban Core, clean stormwater and restore biodiversity to the cities.

The end result is a place one can be proud of, 75 square meters overall in total, about 800 SF.  The front living area is approximately 500 sf, the greenhouse/shower area is 200 sf and the poultry house is 100sf.

The frame contains 4' sections of 2" fencing pipe placed 12" in the ground with a small amount of concrete. 1" electrical conduit is placed in the top open end of the pipe and bent in an arch until the opposite end slides into the opposing anchor pipe.  Once the arches are up, galvanized fencing is attached to the frame creating a skin covering.  

The roof is covered with a heavy duty tarp that can be rolled up for ventilation. The living area, greenhouse and poultry house are separated by walls with a fencing skin also.

Rainwater is collected in a gutter that runs along a knee-wall and stored in an underground cistern.  Water is pumped via hand pump to a solar shower bag that feeds the sink also.  

Drain water flows to irrigate the plants in the greenhouse and then water the poultry.

Living roofs and living permaculture walls line both sides of the home, creating privacy and delivering much needed food.  The green roofs are soilless and based on an extreme lightweight design (see photos).

Plants are amazing.  Think of all the benefits they provide.  Endemic peoples worldwide have ingeniously integrated plants into their housing units for millennia.  We have that same opportunity!