IKEA Unveils Solar-Powered Flat Pack Shelters

[spinbaby]

This is kind of cool--easily transportable emergency shelters that can be set up in four hours and make their own electricity.




http://inhabitat.com/ikeas-solar-powered-flat-pack-refugee-shelters-offer-easily-deployable-emergency-housing/

[Dreamer Tatum]

1. So how much is IKKKea going to make off these pieces of shit?

Just kidding. They look cool.

[backscatter712]

2. These are actually pretty cool.

So long as the instructions don't have illustrations by MC Escher...

[WCGreen]

3. Way cool....

[msanthrope]

4. All right--what damn size of Allen wrench do I need? nt

[progressoid]

5. It's included.

You'll find it taped to the inner flap of the box.

[msanthrope]

7. It's never included--and you only find that out when you get home and get the thing

open. Then it's back to the damn store, along with the stripped screw that they always include. If it wasn't for the 99 cent ice cream, there'd be riots.

[OmahaBlueDog]

6. This should be a test for couples contemplating marriage

Give the couple 4 pieces of Ikea furniture to assemble together. See if they still want to be married afterward.

[msanthrope]

8. At least one bed, and one bookshelf. And one random piece of children's furniture. nt

[OmahaBlueDog]

10. You got it!

In couples therapy, they can try an entertainment center.

[AnnieBW]

13. We have a lot of Ikea in our house

I think that's why my husband and I have been married for 19 years and counting.

[kentauros]

15. There ya go!

It didn't help our marriage, though that wasn't because we couldn't put our IKEA shelves and desk together (mostly, I did all the assembly work.)

Please, do just give me four IKEA items (of my choice, I hope) so I can be in the percentage countering your negative assessment of IKEA furniture assembly (Not you, Annie, but to the Omaha person.)

[krispos42]

19. I don't know; I only have an English set!

Metric heathens.

[freshwest]

9. I'd do that. Seriously.

[kentauros]

16. I love prefab

and continue to hunt for the kind that's both affordable and allowed by local municipalities.

Here's one that's been heavily invested by Warren Buffet: i-House
I think they should call it the We-House, instead, as that implies couples living there (per their primary marketing strategy) as well as small due to "we" sounding just like "wee"

One cool feature I noticed was that it has rainwater catchment

[diane in sf]

11. What a great 21rst century earthquake shack!

[Generic Brad]

12. Habitat for inhumanity

Does it come with their famous horse meat meatballs?

[eppur_se_muova]

14. not solar, but ...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Folding-Geodesic-Dome/

Bucky Fuller was very into the idea of collapsible, easily-transported shelters long before anyone else. Try googling "seedpod geodesic".

[Zorra]

17. How much are they? Hook two of them together and you get a

376 sq ft semi self powered home.

Some deep cycle batteries, a plumbing system w/drains and septic for a kitchen sink and a bathroom (toilet. sink, shower), a propane stove and refrigerator, and I could call something like that home.

Add a 10 x 12 storage shed, and an outdoor fire pit, and it's a road tramp's dream retirement castle.

Building codes in the US won't permit it, but south of the border it's doable in many places.

[tammywammy]

18. There were some threads on here about this awhile ago.

I think it's a great idea, especially in refugee camps to replace the canvas tents.