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New European Bauhaus
Project

Vivihouse

Renewable, Reusable, Recyclable, and Rottable. Those are the keywords defining vivihouse, an inclusive, eco-friendly, and multi-storey building system. 

vivihouse © European Union
vivihouse
© European Union, 2021

Renewable, Reusable, Recyclable, and Rottable.

Those are the keywords defining viivihouse, an inclusive, eco-friendly, and multi-storey building system. ?️?

The concept was one of 30 finalists for the 2021 New European Bauhaus award prizes in the "Techniques, materials, and processes for construction and design."

The groundbreaking project consists of an urban do-it-yourself modular building system made from sustainable and resource-saving components.

vivihouse is a long-lasting and versatile construction kit, that is built to last and can be dismantled and rebuilt in different locations, reaching up to six floors.

The building system combines technological and social advances. The main objective was to introduce the field of construction to a larger audience.

vivihouse was created as a toolbox for planners, allowing them to autonomously design and execute affordable eco-buildings that suit local conditions. The construction kit is modular, so any element can be developed and built separately while all parts remain compatible.

The supporting structure is made of wood. As the main material, straw bales have a low primary energy content (14 MJ/m³). Furthermore, the use of clay plaster rendered the plastic vapour barrier unnecessarily.

vivihouse approaches inclusivity from a variety of perspectives with:

  • Open-source strategies for the planners.
  • Low-threshold and educational workshops for the co-builders.
  • Adaptability and affordability for users and builders.
  • Deconstructability coupled with reusability for potentially future generations.

The houses reduce their carbon footprint by focusing on renewable and natural materials alone. Their three-story prototype (with around 80 m² of area) stores 15 tons of balanced CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions, which is critical because up to 39% of these emissions are tied to building development and usage.

The modular structures are reusable, recyclable, and decomposable, with little energy use and construction area, while retaining circularity and community building as fundamental values.

? © European Union