FutureShack by Sean Godsell

Aussie architect Sean Godsell's small masterpiece is a refugee housing unit made from a ready-made, re-used shipping container. Super-efficient and simple, but made to last and protect, the unit uses a bare minimum of industry materials. Since it's entirely self-contained, a number of units can be shipped together to their destination of need. It's solar powered, too. On exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt in NYC through October 10. ::Godsell

The refugee and homeless housing unit was also a top entry in a contest held by Architecture for Humanity, a non-profit group that was organized to bring design smarts and efficiency to displaced peoples in areas of need. FutureShack marks not only the latest revolution in this type of architecture, pushing the boundaries of thought regarding "domestic" structures, it also marks the first solo exhibition of an Australian architect in NYC. The mobile nature of FutureShack is also what allowed it to be exhibited in New York.