“Molecule” House Made of Tubes

An Argentine man designs a futuristic house with a unique construction technique using aluminum tubing. The technique is patented under the name „Molecule“.

Matias Konstadt spent years travelling around the world, and trekking over mountains and rivers with a backpack. But there came a point when he wanted more comfort without giving up the freedom of movement.

[Matias Konstadt, Inventor]:
„Nature traps me so much. I’ve been in places, next to a river or a mountain, and I’ve said to myself, ‚I would really like to live here.‘ It’s that incredible, fantastic, overbearing feeling that makes you say I want to live here, but I don’t want to be in a tent. I want to be in a spectacular place with lots of design. How do I do that?“

The answer to that question is Konstadt’s lightweight, simple and portable home made of aluminum tubing.  His 3200-square-foot home is found in Buenos Aires.

The aluminum tubing makes for a home that weighs about 4 kilograms per square meter, up to 20 times lighter than a normal house.

The simple system allows for tubes to be snapped together and taken apart instantly, but it’s just as strong as wood framed or cement block construction. And in contrast to the permanence of traditional homes, it can be broken down and boxed just like everything in it.

[Matias Konstadt, Inventor]:
„It can be taken apart and put back together very quickly. It’s made of three elements: a tube, a joint and a screw that tightens the joint.“ 

The interior walls are covered with sheet rock, giving some rooms a more traditional feel. But the roof and outside structures are just aluminum.

The foundation is also simplified. Konstadt sunk just five pads of concrete block a foot deep and secured the frame of his home with screws. In seven years standing, it shows no signs of shifting even in the strong winds.

It’s also good for soft or wet soils as the base of the home ‚floats‘ off the ground.

[Matias Konstadt, Inventor]:
„It’s a light and synergetic home where all the joints are connected. When there’s movement, the entire house moves together. It’s like a boat on water. When a wave comes the entire boat moves. For earthquakes that is important.“

Konstadt developed the idea as a personal project and is still just getting around to marketing it. There are advantages to owning a tubular home: aluminum won’t burn or rust, and the unique way the tubes fit together make it earthquake-proof. And construction is much simpler than with wood or cement block.

(NTDTV)