At the intersection of tiny living and cardboard construction comes the Nido House created by Italian architect Francesca Fadalti with Michela Romano. Nido means "nest" in Italian, a reference to the home’s small, simple shape and circular window, which evoke an oversized birdhouse.
But the structure’s most interesting feature may be what it’s made of—100 percent of the building is recyclable, and its walls are made of cardboard coated in water- and fire-resistant material, then covered with a layer of printed vinyl. The building parts are shipped flat-packed inside of a box, and can be erected like a tent by a single person without the need of special tools or professional help.
Solar panels on the roof provide adequate electricity, and a bathroom module can be added that includes a composting toilet and water remediation system. The modular design of the building means that it can be extended by attaching more than one together.
With such a simple structural design, Fadalti decided to offer more custom decoration in the form of different vinyl covering. Soon, clients will be able to design their home’s exterior and interior graphics online.
A handful of Nido homes built on the shore of Sulzano’s Lake Iseo, located in north-central Italy, open on June 18 as a temporary open-air hotel to house the influx of guests checking out Christo’s new Floating Piers installation.
Faldati and Romano hope that eventually the homes will be used for everything from emergency shelter to commercial coffee shops.
Nido House, cardboard prefab [Abitare]
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