$300 Hybrid House

The basic concept of the design is to utilize the same materials that are typically found in slum housing. The house is a hybrid compressed earth block and lightweight wood/metal. The lower course of earth block can be varied in height so that not all of the houses look the same. The earth block is also used in the interior to build furniture and a stove. Above the earth block sits a wooden frame with operable wood shutters. This allows the houses to utilize cross breezes. The roof is corrugated metal, which was chosen for its availability and reliability. The roof is a simple shed roof that allows hot air to follow the slope up and out.