EcoMonk Prototype
EcoMonk Portable Dwelling:
A Sustainable Flat Pack Prototype
EcoMonk is a total living environment packed into a small trailer. At the heart of the project is the desire to bring the efficiencies of flattened-package-consumer-assembled (flat pack) manufacturing and delivery currently prevalent in the modular furniture industry, into well-conceived housing units. EcoMonk can be deployed and assembled on site by one or two adults using only hand tools. The units will be as environmentally "green" as possible within a tight budget. The design methods explored in the EcoMonk prototype can then be applied to contemporary issues of housing the homeless, disaster housing, and housing for extreme environments.
The intention is to then apply the knowledge and interest gained from the current prototype into the development of a multi-component flat pack system. Next, a prototype eco-housing Community for visiting scholars and PhD candidates is envisioned for Champaign-Urbana and elsewhere. By partnering with manufacturers, we can promote production in a low-cost manufacturing site (e.g. an ailing Midwest town). Finally, the knowledge resulting from the implementation of these proposals will be used to innovate new applications for the construction system in order to ultimately develop the full manufacturing and ecological potential of the idea.
Research Project: 2008-2011
Advising Professors: William Bullock, William Cope, Tyson Newell, Mark Taylor
Research Assistants: Max Bemberg, Montana Crady, Mat Strack
Design Assistants: Romain Beal, Todd Cao Yong, Scott Farbman, Seok Hong, Chenxi Hu, Justine Kane, Kayla Kaufman, Alloy Kemp, Cheol Yong Kim, Amy Loeschen, Limeng Lu, Brad Malouf, Michelle Mantegna, Danny Ramos, Victor Tousignant, Dan Whitehead, Anson Wu, Lili Xu, Howard Yu