Building with corrugated cardboard is possible: the new housing frontier for temporary homes is called T-BOX and is covered by a textile facade.
T-Box masterclass is an advanced training event that aims to disseminate an innovative housing concept. The experience is organised in several activities that will take place over 1 calendar year, aimed at the experimentation, fabrication, self-construction and monitoring of a 20sqm test box, the first housing prototype made with a corrugated cardboard supporting structure.
The project is conceived by Archicart | Architettura di Cartone di Area srl, with the collaboration of the University of Catania. The innovative T-BOX prototype was developed by young engineers and entrepreneurs: Dario Distefano, Mario Schilirò, Gianfranco Distefano and Nicola Timpanaro, creators of the Catania-based startup, which has studied a unique construction system using corrugated cardboard as a building material. T-BOX proposes a new modular ideology for temporary dwellings that can be expanded or reduced over time according to the needs of their inhabitants. At the end of their life they are largely recyclable and have a low environmental impact.
Giovanardi is a technical partner in the project and played a decisive role in the covering of the structure. The decision was made to apply a ventilated, waterproof textile facade made of Précontraint 502 fabric and aluminium profiles. As Mario Schilirò says, the textile facade is a strong point of the project as it protects the cardboard structure from humidity, is recyclable, aesthetically pleasing and customisable. It is also easy and quick to install, making it possible to set up and dismantle the house quickly and at low cost: a fundamental requirement for a temporary housing structure.
T-BOX will be furnished like a traditional house and specific monitoring equipment will be installed to carry out tests for the analysis and characterisation of 4 operating regimes coinciding with the four seasons.
The project aims to overcome the limits of traditional materials, which are energy-consuming and polluting, by proposing alternatives with high levels of quality, form and function, with total respect for the environment at all stages of the product's life.
Giovanardi shares these values and supports the culture of innovation and the virtuous engineering-architectural progress of our country.
Partners and technical sponsors: Stiltenda, F.lli Lombardo, Tecnova Group, Format ADV, F.lli Giovanardi, Sciuker and Enerpaper.
