Estonia-based architecture and engineering company Kodasema is offering luxury, minimalist living units that are movable and assembled in just seven hours.
Called Koda, these 269-square-foot (25 m2) cube units are also modular, customizable, sustainable and self-sufficient — allowing people to relocate at will.
The offering comes in a few variants; first comes the original model, called Koda Concrete, which is made of thin composite panels of concrete exterior and wood interior. Then there’s Koda Loft or Koda Light, which is basically the same but made of wood for half the weight and a more focused eco-commitment.
Next comes Koda Loft Extended that packs an extra room at the back. However, it too can be torn down within a day and assembled elsewhere, or packed onto a trailer and plopped someplace else by crane.
Finally, we have Koda Loft Float, which can sit on floating pontoons and serve as anything from extended seafront property to actual on-water residence or business location.
All Koda Loft variants let its owners stack them one on top of the other to build a hotel, an office or a larger family home, for instance. Also, for all models, Kodasema offers a variety of customization options.
Each Koda unit is smart and easy to “operate.” You only need a patch of leveled ground that can support the added weight, and connection to water, electricity and sewage. Included in the package are solar panels on the roof, insulation for both hot and freezing temperatures, smart heating, a ventilation system with air filters (for airborne dust and allergens), large windows, a keyless door system, and smart adjustable LED lighting.
Inside, Koda has two levels, with the ground one occupied by a living room and kitchenette area, and a bathroom with sink, bath/shower and toilet hidden under the stairs. The small staircase leads up to a sleeping area on the second floor and a laundry area. There’s even a tiny terrace on the second floor.
Koda is designed to be sustainable and long-lasting, but also to provide an oasis of comfort and tranquility, whether you decide to live in the city or in the mountains. It comes with minimized external noise and the promise of privacy. More importantly, it underlines the importance of living in the now, not tied down by real estate.
“The mission of Kodasema was to change the construction sector by developing a small, sustainable and mobile home so that it can be easily placed on vacant or temporarily vacant plots in city centers,” said Ülar Mark, Head Architect and Founder at Kodasema.
Prices start at around €100,000 / £100,000 / $130,000 depending on location for a basic Koda unit and go up proportionately to how fancy you want your home or office to be.
Takeaway
Each Koda contains rooftop solar panels; large windows and quadruple glazing to maximize heat and light; while many components can be customized to best fit the purpose of the building. Inside, the unit has two levels, with the sleeping and laundry areas occupying the second floor — the ground level is reserved for the living room, small kitchen, and bathroom.
Kodasema offers Koda in four different variants with prices starting at €100,000 / £100,000 / $130,000.
Action point
Modular Koda could be procured by local governments looking for an additional office space to promote the use of the novel building and space-saving technologies. Because of the way Koda units could be stacked on top of the other, they allow the (local) governments to start with a single unit and later expand it as their needs grow. However, due to its price - Kodasema's offering is better suited for a bit richer municipalities which can actually afford to procure a few Koda units.
With land ownership at an international premium, owners of free-standing homes may be able to avoid the financial pressure of buying property and paying for complicated building permits. This represents an opportunity for savvy businesses that could contact Kodasema and ask to distribute Koda units in the municipalities they "cover." One of the clients could be the local government which in turn would get a modular solution for an office space that can grow with their needs. By doing so, that town/city would also show its support for modern construction technologies, potentially attracting more hi-tech businesses to the area.