Extremely Low-Cost Housing Solutions Gain Currency

Lamar Anderson offers a window into some promising extremely inexpensive housing solutions that engage the user in the design and construction process.

1 minute read

March 17, 2013, 9:00 AM PDT

By boramici


Roman Vignoli's Casapanal for the outskirts of Santiago involves just two simple components: a metal skeleton with retrofitted SIP panels that can be assembled without heavy machinery.

Inspired by the $100 house in Paul Polak's 2008 book Out of Poverty, this design and others like it are part of an effort to provide low-cost permanent and customizable shelter to slum dwellers.

Zeroing in on the unique organizational habits of people who construct make-shift shelters for themselves, Cambodian architects Collective Studio have designed six different prototypes for Pnohm Phen families to choose from. They all feature passive cooling and water and mechanical systems and are constructed from locally-sourced materials, keeping costs under $2,500.

Ying Chee Chui's Pinwheel House, adapted to a village in China for under $6,000, uses hollow L-shaped brick modules and steel bars and is expandable from the perimeter through local manpower.

WikiHouse's designers place design files online, making them available for download through Google SketchUp. Communities can "print" the components on shared CNC mills. 

"How these projects will perform is still largely untested," says Anderson, "but providing houses that are not only inexpensive but that residents are proud to call their own will be the greatest measure of their success."

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 in Architectural Record

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today