JAPAN-HONEYCOMB HOMES Temporary cardboard homes for use in disaster zones

Record ID: 150743

  • Title: JAPAN-HONEYCOMB HOMES Temporary cardboard homes for use in disaster zones
  • Date: 9th June 2015
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MAY 27, 2015) (REUTERS) HONEYCOMB HOUSE MATERIALS HONEYCOMB HOUSE CARDBOARD HONEYCOMB HOUSE BEING BUILT CLOSE UP OF HANDS AND HONEYCOMB HOUSE CONSTRUCTION VARIOUS OF HONEYCOMB HOUSE BEING BUILT STORAGE BEING BUILT HONEYCOMB HOUSE BEING PILED ON TOP OF OTHER HOUSES MATTRESS BEING INSTALLED (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) EXECUTIVE OF LASERCH, TAKESHI SHIMIZU, SAYING: "
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2L9QN6PE8XLDAL2BV9XSPDIJS
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Japanese manufacturers have designed a temporary cardboard house for use in natural disaster zones.
    Laserch Corp displayed their Honeycomb House at a recent annual environmental conference in Tokyo.
    The houses are brightly coloured living spaces that are not only eco-friendly but also cosy and more private than vast shelters often used in disaster zones.
    It was produced as a response to the earthquake and tsunami disaster that struck North-eastern Japan on March 11, 2011. Laserch Corp began the project because victims of the disaster had to find shelter at school gymnasiums and other public spaces, often having to share small living spaces with strangers.
    A Honeycomb House weighs between 15 and 20 kilograms, and is 1.21 metres wide, 2.11 metres long, and 1.4 metres high. Two adults could construct the house in minutes.
    "We designed it, so it only takes five minutes to build the honeycomb house. For first timers, I think it takes about 15 minutes," Takeshi Shimizu, an executive of Laserch, told Reuters.
    Curious on-lookers at the event were initially concerned about its sturdiness, but were surprised at how steady the house stood when they laid inside it. The capsule can take up to 150 kilograms in weight and is made mostly out of cardboard, making it eco-friendly.
    "This is something you use for a short term, not for a long time, so we have to think about how we can dispose it. These disposable materials, cardboard and papers are good to use for this matter," Laserch worker Takeru Sato said.
    Cardboard also provides warmth and absorbs sound, making it an appropriate solution for those displaced from their homes.
    Laserch is still looking for ways to lower the current production cost of 80,000 Japanese yen (640 USD). The exterior is adorned with cheerful illustrations of bees and a cat in an attempt to lighten the mood of victims and for children to enjoy.
    "It takes about three to 12 months to build temporary houses, and it is hard to live in noisy evacuation centres. We designed it so people can have a comfortable life in a private space," Laserch's Chief Executive Officer Takeshi Yanagimoto said.
    According to Japan's Reconstruction agency, about 230,000 people still live in temporary housing after the 2011 disaster.
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