FEATURED NEWS

Date of Issue: December 27, 2016

The X-house, a design by the School of Architecture’s Lee Zong-lun, recently won a silver medal at the 7th International Innovation and Invention Competition. The X-house design is the result of an interdisciplinary CDIO Capstone Course between the School of Architecture and the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Information.

 

Led by Professor Shen Yang-ting, from the School of Architecture, and Professor Shiu Yi-shiang, from the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Information, Lee’s outstanding performance came in a competitive field of 456 entries from fourteen countries.

 

Key to the award-winning X-House was “mortise,” a woodworking technique used for joining wood without nails or screws. Computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and a “snap-fit” design ensured an easy-to-build structure. In addition, the main unit of the X-house contains only small parts and wooden latches, so each user not only can design their own building, but also can set up the structure quickly. In fact, Lee says the structure is as simple to assemble as IKEA furniture.

 

Due to its small size and efficient design, the X-House is ideal as a temporary shelter for victims of a natural disaster. Even an average-sized car can transport the X-house materials to an affected area and, equally important, setting up an X-house does not require special tools.