The housing problem is a global problem, it is a crisis that affects most countries, and while governments and city councils of large cities look for solutions, this young man, Ribal Zebian, has proposed creating his own modular house to live in for a year.
This Canadian wants to prove that it is possible to live in one of these houses and tackle the housing problem, will he be able to do it?
Who is Ribal Zebian?
This young man already made the news when he built a wooden electric car, he won a 120,000 dollar scholarship with his invention, and at 18 years old he is worried about one of the things that worries all of us, the lack of housing. So, he got to work.
Where does the idea come from?
From his own city. Zebian saw that there was not enough housing and that more and more people were living on the street, even in “well off” areas, and the fact is that both renting a home and buying a house has become very difficult and something had to be done.
There were no excuses for him, he wanted to look for solutions and make them fast, so he wondered if perhaps the solution was in building simpler homes, faster to build and above all, cheaper.
This is the house he has designed
It is not a hole, nor a shack. It is a modular house, it is small but perfectly prepared. It has thermal insulation, electricity, space to sleep, to work and every centimeter is used. It is made with fiberglass panels and thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam because it is quick to build.
“It can be duplicated. And for our roofing system, we do not use the traditional truss method. In fact, we use an insulating PET foam core that supports the structure and the structural integrity of the roof”.
It is not huge and there is no extra space, but it is enough to live with dignity and above all, under a roof. It can be mass produced and assembled quickly. As a solution, it is a very good solution.
And will it be possible to live inside?
Zebian is clear about his intention, he does not want anyone to bet on his idea nor ask for favors, he will be the one who spends a full year of his life living in this house, using his own comfort to prove that it is possible to live in one of these houses. He will document the cold, the heat, energy consumption, day to day life, the good and the uncomfortable as well.
Designed to grow
Another key point of the project is that it is not an individual solution, but a scalable one, these homes could be installed on empty lots, unused public land or underused urban spaces, and instead of temporary shelters, he proposes these homes that are much more stable and quick to build, thus reducing the time someone spends on the street.
And the reactions?
The initiative has drawn the attention of social organizations, professors and citizens who see in this gesture something more than a curious invention. Many highlight that it is clear that this project comes from empathy and humanity.
But it also has “detractors” since many believe that these ideas should have been put on the table many years ago and not now that a student is proposing them. Everything arrives in its time, but it arrives.
The definitive solution?
No, it is not a definitive solution and it will by no means end homelessness, but it is clearly a solution to change the possibilities of a person, the idea is to sleep under a roof and in the most dignified way possible.
More than an experiment
Zebian does not present himself as an activist, but we believe it is something that goes with him, if he can design solutions for people living on the street, why can our leaders not? Is technology missing or is what is missing willpower?
This young man does not promise to save the world, but at least he has tried to do his part. Let us hope that he can spend his year as comfortably as possible and that this project can scale and become a solution.
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