Side-bar: Pallet House

An architectural firm in New York, I-beam, created this prototype of a house made from shipping pallets, specifically intended for refugees and/or disaster-affected people. 

The idea is that this structure could serve as a canvas or plastic tent-frame and might eventually be transformed into a more permanent house. 

I suppose this makes sense if a huge shipment of food, supplies, etc are sent as disaster relief. Then you re-use the pallets they were shipped on. I gather that happens on an ad hoc basis today. However, you can see that you would require a lot of pallets just to build one house.

Also, one wonders if this wood is safe to live in given that is generally treated with arsenic and other toxins to keep the pests and rot out.  Still, interesting as a potential temporary solution (i.e 5-7 years, the typical life of a refugee camp, according to I-Beam). 

You can watch them building one at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z7WI2v1Mh8

Posted by Paul Rivers, 11:34 December 8th, 2010

Sources:
   Etherington, Rose. "Dezeen » Blog Archive » Pallet House by I-Beam." Dezeen architecture and design magazine . http://www.dezeen.com/2008/05/12/pallet-house-by-i-beam/#idc-cover (accessed December 8, 2010). 
   "I-BEAM DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE." I-BEAM DESIGN ARCHITECTURAL. http://www.i-beamdesign.com/projects/refugee/refugee.html (accessed December 8, 2010).