Design & Architecture

Invented by Dante Bini, the BiniShelter is a super-low-cost self-erecting house used for disaster relief that can be easily moved from location to location, and takes less than a half-hour to build. The Binishelter requires only three workers and can be constructed out of bamboo, clay, wood, Sheetrock, bark -- whatever material is at hand. The shelter can also be customized into large two-story buildings that could house schools, or into to single-family homes, or even combined into massive housing projects, depending on the needs of the community. A system of inflatable "sausages" can be installed beneath the house, which can be attached to an anchor, allowing the shelter to float like a buoy above the water. As floodwaters subside, the house would drift back down to the ground. "It might not land in the exact same location, but it will be close," Bini admits. :: SF Gate via The Greener Side