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Description

EXTRA LIGHT PROVIDES THE SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION (primary structure) for a house, simple enough to be set up by two people on uneven or inclined terrain in less than a day and yet sturdy and resilient enough to withstand severe weather conditions.
The Extra-Light modular structure maintainins its extra-ordinary stability using steel tension rods running through bottom and top of the wooden frames.

Further advantages are

• the utmost simplicity and coherence of the structural joints regarding manufacturing and connectivity, designed to be easily reproduced by carpenters and locksmiths, ideally close to the building site.
• the structural behaviour of the Extra-Light frames, connected with steel-tension-rods, will keep the building flexible like the muscles supporting a skeleton.
• resourceful use of raw, recyclable materials.
• assembly by two people on uneven or inclined terrain in less than a day.
• sturdy to withstand severe weather conditions
• superior earthquake resistance compared to brick & concrete structures.
• only commonly used, light-weight machinery required for production.
• assembly with a set of basic hand tools.
• less dependant from weather conditions as the set-up starting from the dried out (pre-cast) foundations to the watertight roof happens in less than a day.
• can be easily dismantled and set-up elsewhere using the same parts.
• innovative low-tech. solution to achieve extraordinary stability by using steel tie rods with less diameter than a pencil to reinforce and connect the wooden frames.
• easy handling & assembly
• efficient transport of up to 35 buildings in a 20ft container.
• any orthogonal floor plan can be built.
• adaptability of existing structures
• each part can be replaced within a finished wall unit.
• only two types of frames, standard- and corner frame - both can as well be installed upside-down.
• substantially reduced number of different parts prevents incorrect assembly.
• on site, the 9cm depth of each frame can be filled with natural insulation (sheep wool, coconut- or hemp fibre) or alternatively, (insulated) wall panels are fixed in front of the structure.
• the design of the metal parts made from 4mm and 6mm sheet steel and steel tubes is determined foremost by the stability of each part but also by a reduced number of different parts linked with a minimum of welding nodes.
• material availability in most parts of the world, with dimensional tolerances taken into account (e.g. for the steel tube diameters).
• a constant price per unit, as the parts are manufactured from raw materials only, steel and (ideally FSC-certified) wood. The processing is kept simple and will not influence the price per unit significantly.
• only one wood section, measuring 4.5cm x 9cm is used throughout the structure. Due to the small sections, a maximum of each wood board is processed and less waste material accrues.
• once two wooden parts, each 4.5cm x 9cm, are joined with wooden dowels, the stability is increased and the natural deflexion minimized compared to the same section made out of only one piece of wood. This allows the use of wood of minor structural qualities.
• As the exterior walls are structurally separated from the roof in the extra-light modular structure, virtually any roof type can be used. Round logs or bamboo trunks often used for pitched roofs in tropical regions, are easily linked to the extra-light structure underneath.

COMPLETION BY THE OWNER OR LOCAL CRAFTSMEN.
APPEARANCE DEFINED BY FUTURE USE, CULTURAL ROOTS AND LOCAL MATERIALS.

Main areas of interest regarding the Extra-Light modular structure are remote regions of the world where building material is scarce, or densely populated areas (e.g. Favelas), and where a sustainable modular building structure can provide a massive change for the people. It’s parts are manufactured by local craftsmen and set up by labourers instructed in assembly-workshops, before the owner adds local flavour, using locally available materials for insulation and cladding of walls, floors and roofs, combining local building tradition and appearance (e.g. flat or sloped roof types) with the EXTRA-LIGHT modular skeleton structure.
Even a larger number of these houses in one place will never appear as a built-up monoculture.

The load-carrying Extra-Light modular skeleton, hidden underneath the exterior wall- and roof coverings, is what the buildings will have in common. SAME SKELETON – NEVER THE SAME FACE.