A beautiful home for under £32,000

Caitlin Hughes Caitlin Hughes
CASA TRANSPORTABLE ÁPH80, ÁBATON ÁBATON Prefabricated home
Loading admin actions …

It can be assembled in a day, its price can vary between 16,400 and 32,000 pounds, and you can take it wherever you want. Could ÁPH80 be the home of the future? ABATON Architecture has developed a prototype of the first eco-friendly, sustainable and transportable house that could spell the end to our sedentary living habits. This is a revolutionary project born from an innovative idea, and the company behind it have, quite rightly, received recognition in the form of 2 Architizier A + awards, one in the category of 'Architecture + Living' and a second in the 'Single Family Home' category.

Demonstrating a precise and rigorous approach to technical development, this house is a testimony to the abilities of ABATON as designers and engineers. This model home pushes us to rethink the way we live, and what the restrictions on us really are in terms of mobility. It appeals to our sense of adventure and opens up the possibility for a simple life of freedom lead in perfect harmony with nature. Now, we'll take a closer look at the largest model from the series, but as we mentioned, this is just one example: the houses come in 5 different forms and sizes to suit a variety of needs and budgets. 

Transport

The 8 tonne structure can be transported by road on a standard truck. Once at the chosen site, a crane truck lowers the home onto the ground. It's that simple. You can take it wherever you want, over mountains or across land and sea , but that naturally hikes up the costs. But how much easier would moving be if you didn't have to change your home to change your location?! ÁPH80 only requires firm ground  for sufficient support, and a licence from the local council for using the land. It's possible to organise a geo-technical study on the land you have in mind to ensure it's suitable, and to resolve any doubts you might have about the big move.

Location

Water? Electricity? Plumbing? No need to worry, ÁPH80 has all the facilities you need—all you need to do is connect to the networks. But what if you want to live in the middle of a field of wheat away from civilization? No problem, ABATON also offers models suited to undeveloped and completely rural places. 

Having chosen the model and place, and confirmed the order, you just have to wait 8 short weeks to receive it! You could be moving sooner than you thought…

Uses

Once you've installed your ÁPH80, you can simply open the front door and make yourself at home. Maybe you're thinking of using it for a different purpose, such as an office or shop, or perhaps even a holiday home to take to the beach—everything is possible!

The interior

Inside, the picture changes completely. If from outside you saw a compact, rugged and homogeneous building, you'll be surprised at how warm and cosy the inside can be. This particular model is a perfect home for two at 80 cubic metres by 27 square metres. The house offers a comfortable and versatile space that can be divided into different living areas. Here we're looking at the larger room, which is the communal area, encompassing the kitchen, dining and living room.

The bedroom

Occupying one end of the house is the bedroom, lit naturally through a small square window. The other window in the house is at the opposite end and gives light to the bathroom. This is located just behind the kitchen, concentrating the facilities of the house at one location. The interior panelling is made from tinted white Spanish fir, and the furnishings are discreet and elegant with a hint of Nordic influence. 

Materials

For the walls, a coating of wood chips bonded with grey cement provide thermal insulation-it's 12 cm-thick and covers the entire the ventilated façade of the house. The wood, both interior and exterior, has been collected in regulated operations to prevent deforestation. The low emissivity glass windows have a triple layer air chamber, while the fittings are all aluminium or PVC. 

All this means there are no thermal bridges in the house. Furthermore, most materials used are recyclable to meet the sustainability criteria that informs ABATON's projects.

Sustainability

The recycled materials are not the only highlight of this eco-home: ÁPH80 qualifies for an energy performance certificate, provided that no changes are made to the structure or energy efficient systems—but why would you want to tamper with perfection? You can rest assured that, despite only taking 8 weeks to build, the house is a fine example of quality architecture and is made by highly qualified professionals.

The home of the future

Although we may expect otherwise, all of the modules from the series have a life expectancy comparable to that of a conventional home. Efficient design, high quality materials, and rigorous construction are the reasons behind its durability. The idea was based on a simple maritime container but has been carefully developed to reach its current form: a humble but welcoming home that could well be the home of the future. 

If you thought this project interesting, please have a look at:

Before & after: value adding renovation

homify 360°: Sawbridgeworth barn conversion

Need help with your home project?
Get in touch!

Highlights from our magazine