Basic House / Martín Azúa

Jan 2012

By Karissa Rosenfield — Filed under: Houses ,Residential ,Sustainability , Martín Azúa

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Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

Barcelona designer Martín Azúa questions the idea of the private home with the Basic House – an inhabitable volume that is “foldable, inflatable and reversible”. The experimental prototype challenges the idea of homeownership, offering an alternative to the materialistic reality of today. Made from metalized polyester, the Basic House is a shelter small enough to fit in your pocket, allowing you to break away from the imprisonment of material ties.

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Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

“Our habitat has turned into a space of consumption in which an unlimited number of products satisfy a series of needs created by complex systems and relations that are difficult to control. Cultures that maintain a more direct interaction with their environment show us that the idea of habitat can be understood in more essential and reasonable terms. Influenced by these ideas and using the most advanced technology, I [Martín Azúa] came up with an almost immaterial house that self inflates with body heat or from the heat of the sun; so simple and versatile that it protects us from the cold and from the heat when reversed; so light that it floats; and moreover, it folds up and fits into your pocket. Ideal for a life on the move without material ties. Having everything without having almost anything.”

Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

*Description provided by Martín Azúa.

: Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

: Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

: Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

: Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

: Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera

Cite:
Rosenfield , Karissa . "Basic House / Martín Azúa" 27 Jan 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 22 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/203413>

Comments (6)
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elliot says:

This adds nothing to what Coop Himmelblau or Archigram did in the 60′s and 70′s with their inflatables, other than a cute girl. The designer relies too much on her looks and pretty photographs, while the idea is relatively banal at this point in my opinion.

# January 27, 2012 at 14:00

Alex says:

woah! this is the first i’m hearing of this. are these fore sale? i’d never use a regular tent again. anyone used one of these? am skeptical about how it stays inflated

# January 27, 2012 at 14:19

jim says:

this neither questions nor challenges anything, especially the private home or home ownership. does this “bubble” have running water? does it have a kitchen? is one just supposed to defecate in it and then sleep in his/her own feces? engineered and economical tents already exist, and they don’t float away in the wind like the photograph shows.

# January 27, 2012 at 18:05

GCelaR says:

Otro que va de arquiguai. Eso no es más que una tienda de campaña cuya estabilidad es muy dudosa. A ver si el calor del cuerpo humano es suficiente para contrarestar la Tramuntana o un día de lluvia en abril. Sólo porque es un espacio íntimo no lo hace una vivienda ni mucho menos cuestiona lo qué es la propiedad privada. Me quedo con ejemplos como éste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1MHuwLBcwE

# January 28, 2012 at 09:51

cmyk says:

this looks like a feminine product commercial.

# January 28, 2012 at 14:52

Chris says:

“Barcelona designer Martín Azúa questions the idea of the private home with the Basic House – an inhabitable volume that is “foldable, inflatable and reversible”. The experimental prototype challenges the idea of homeownership, offering an alternative to the materialistic reality of today. Made from metalized polyester, the Basic House is a shelter small enough to fit in your pocket, allowing you to break away from the imprisonment of material ties.”

Really? Perhaps I’m wrong, but I doubt this little “invention” of his has replaced his own flat and related possessions. To me this is nothing, it’s fluff and it can’t even function like a 20 dollar pup tent.

# January 28, 2012 at 18:14

5:25 PM Jan 27th

GR2TF

Basic House / Martín Azúa: Martín Azúa 1999 / Photographs Daniel Riera
Barcelona designer Martín Azúa questions … http://t.co/irdd5hTK

5:27 PM Jan 27th

Oribu Olivia

Love it! Want one!! RT @archdaily: Basic House / Martín Azúa http://t.co/roa63JVI #architecture

5:28 PM Jan 27th

ruj rattanapahu

Basic House / Martín Azúa | ArchDaily http://t.co/ufDW1b2f via @archdaily >>> แม่ม เล่นง่ายไปแล้ว…55+

5:29 PM Jan 27th

arquiRED Mexico