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WORK
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Project: What if New York City... Design Competition - Selected Entry
Location: Prospect Shore, New York
Square Footage: - -
In response to a competition that challenged entrants to create innovative temporary housing solutions for the thousands of New Yorkers
who might be displaced in the event of a catastrophe, Studio Lindfors developed CLOUD CITY. Because of its population density and
concentrated infrastructure, the City is not well suited for traditional post-disaster housing, such as mobile homes.
Though perhaps an unusual proposal, CLOUD CITY is literally an uplifting experience that will allow communities to remain intact as they pull
themselves out of the rubble. The homes can be rapidly deployed with minimal site preparation. They are intended to ‘plug in’ to existing utility
services, and can be deployed by a team of four workers in roughly an hour. Once airborne, the floating homes allow construction crews below
to work unimpeded, speeding up the recovery effort. This in turn reduces cost overruns and unnecessary delays.
Inflatable homes would be pre-fabricated and stored in warehouses for deployment as required. Each home consists of three basic components:
an inflatable bladder, a rigid core, and a metal and wood platform. The bladder would consist of two compartments, filled with pressurized helium
(which is non-combustible). The pressurized gas would give shape to the tailored and stitched fabric shell, creating an open living space within.
Made from recycled polyester fabric, the balloon has a large surface area suitable for mounting of flexible solar panels for generating electricity.
Within this living space is a rigid core which contains an efficient kitchenette and bathroom, along with plumbing and electrical services.
The 300sf living space is open, and can be configured in many ways, with up to three bedroom spaces suitable for a family of four.
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