A Green, Lean, and Customizable Cardboard Prefab

Live, work, or vacation in an eco-friendly, mobile cardboard prefab.

Pre-made in a workshop in Amsterdam, Wikkelhouse by Netherlands studio Fiction Factory is a modular structure constructed out of a 100-percent sustainable base of fiber paperboard that's harvested from Scandinavian trees.

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After four years of research, Fiction Factory—a company with its origins in theater set design—came up with a massive rotating house-shaped mold wrapped with layers and layers of cardboard. The cardboard layers are secured onto the mold with environmentally-friendly glue. Breathable and waterproof foil and wood panel finishings are then added as cladding to provide protection from varying weather conditions. 

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 Comprised of 3.9-foot-deep cardboard-wrapped mold segments that can easily be connected and disconnected, Wikkelhouse can be transported to a client’s chosen location and connected on-site within a day. 

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Because each of the segments weigh only 500 kilograms each, the structure doesn't need architectural foundation, and can simply be placed as is on a beach, in a backyard, a trade fair, concert site, or even a rooftop. 

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The interiors of Wikkelhouse can be tailor-made to a client’s specifications, with different interior color schemes, fittings, and finishings. The segments are 100-percent recyclable, making this a housing or office option that’s three times greener than traditional housing, and much more convenient to build.   

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Michele Koh Morollo
Dwell Contributor
Michele Koh Morollo is a journalist who has been writing about design, lifestyle and travel for the last twenty years.

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