How ZO_loft Brings New Thinking to Portable Shelter Design

ZO-loft, a four-person architecture and design studio base in Italy, has designed a portable shelter concept that has many surprising and innovative aspects contained within.  Called the ZO_loft WheelLY, the shelter consists of (please refer to schematic image above) 1. a cloth bag, 2. reflecting colored rubber rim, 3. folding polyester resin tent, 4. rubber tire, 5. aluminum frame, 6. pressed paper rollers to serve as bearings, and 7. an insulating rubber disc with a sponsor’s logo on the surface (smart way of potentially reducing costs).  When opened, the shelter is ready to be inhabited for hopefully short durations, or may be used to “wheel” one’s possessions around, as it is capable of storing upwards of 250 liters of items.

(Images courtesy of ZO_loft via Treehugger.com)

Given the amount of need which exists in the world for low cost, sturdy, and quick-construction shelter, the ZO_loft WheelLY represents a strikingly innovative step forward which may indeed be applicable in the future - it still needs some issues worked out however, such as how comfortable it would be to sleep while lying over the inner edge of the tire when more space is required.  Nonetheless, this concept is another indication of how important it is for industrial designers and architects to contribute to solving the big issues which lay before us - climate change, disaster relief, widening humanitarian crises, etc.  And it is worth noting that these concepts represent a far cry from the toxic trailers provided by FEMA, for victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, although it appears that that problem may be getting some attention albeit years after the fact.  Perhaps the Federal Government (and FEMA leaders in particular) should take a closer look at what ZO-loft has come up with, along with the many other promising concepts for portable shelter that are being developed around the world (e.g. Daniel Schipper’s collapsible shelter concept).

ZO_loft

Daniel Schipper’s Foldable Greenhouse

If you have ever wished you could have a verdant garden in your urban apartment but didn’t have the luxury of space, Dutch designer Daniel Schipper, may have come up with a solution, with his Foldable Greenhouse prototype. Made from recyclable plastics (the top appears like translucent polypropylene), the greenhouse is noteworthy in that it unfolds in origami fashion from flat plastic stock, is potentially modular, and with its compact form factor, is practical for balconies, small yards or rooftop decks and gardens. It also incorporates the same design and engineering approach as one of Schipper’s other products, a dramatically foldable/collapsable shelter he made from misprinted milk packaging.

The designer is even accepting email inquiries from those interested in investing in and manufacturing the greenhouse, a product with some great potential applications, especially in light of the trend of ever increasing migration to urban centers. And perhaps taking a cue from his Foldable Shelter, Schipper could consider incorporating recycled plastic from those ubiquitious (and often non-recyclable) throw away planters one sees at many flower stores and garden centers, as Recycline does with used yogurt containers. Surely the Foldable Greenhouse is a great suggestion of a range of products that could be developed for urban gardeners-to be, who only wished they had the space!

Daniel Schipper