We suppose reality TV is good for something… especially on PBS. 12-year-old Max Wallack was awarded $10,000 and a Dell laptop computer for his use of ‘recycled’ materials to create a portable igloo called the ‘Home Dome.’ Wallack’s structure, made of discarded plastic bags filled with Styrofoam packing peanuts won Design Squad’s Trash to Treasure Competition.
About the prize Max says, “I don’t really care about the money. I care about helping people.” Max elaborates, “When I was six, I won an invention contest that included a trip to Chicago. While there, I saw homeless people living on streets, and beneath highways and underpasses. I felt very sorry for these people, and ever since then, felt that my goal and obligation was to find a way to help them. My invention improves the living conditions for homeless people, refugees, or disaster victims by giving them an easy-to-assemble shelter.”
To call the hexagonal sheets of plastic used in the construction of Max’s prize-winning homeless shelter ‘trash’ is a bit of a stretch, but its flat-pack features, use of minimal materials and obvious Buckminster Fuller inspiration make the ‘Home Dome’ a viable green structure.
Sorry I don’t get it. Why is this good? What it appears as seems to be non recycled hexagon sheets filled with packaging. Whilst the reuse of packaging might be green overall it would appear as a massive plastic shelter.
There didn’t appear to be any ventilation and if the plastic is cheap then if anyone smoked near it, it would be a death trap. And it’s not very inconspicuous which would be a major issue for lots of homeless people. Plus it shape doesn’t lend itself to packing efficiency if you need access.
So how Is this better than a standard shanty town style home made out of plastic? I think this is one of those very nice looking things that may have a part in a scifi film at best.
I think the key here is that the design came from the mind of a 12-year-old, was broadcast on a kids’ television program and encourages children to think about ways in which they can positively impact their environment (i.e., put down the PSP and look around you). Hopefully it provoked thoughts similar to the ones you expressed, in the minds of the Design Squad’s young viewers.
Yep.. the best part that is, how these kind of entry start to play their role as fresh idea generator of future design. even when men actually couldn’t live under those junk-like things, these ‘future-designer’ already found the comfort of being part of it. that is a new ‘something’.
Even for me, i really should regain my childish mindset that design can be sculpt form garbage..
(the 2 is because I forgot the original password)
On reflection you are both right. From someone so young this is quite impressive. I must have been in a bad mood when I first read it
It’s also great because it made me think of ways my 5 yr old and I could use trash to build useful things. It occurred to me that we could figure out something similar with old wire coat hangers and grocery bags. Or even clothing that isn’t good enough to be donated for someone else to use stuffed with packing materials covered with a few large trash bags or the big plastic sheets that sometimes come with furniture or appliances or something similar. It wouldn’t be good for a finished product but working with my son to come up with new solutions with trash could lead to some great things.
Let’s just call this inspiration!
Great to see such a cool and socially conscious idea coming from a 12 year old. You would be surprised how much can be made out of trash and the key to it is our imaginations. Sometimes it is worth having a kid remind us of how inventive our minds really are, if we let them stop thinking like adults now and then.