Abod, a subsidiary of BSB Design, developed an innovative approach to affordable housing through prefabricated arch-frame structures. These tiny shelters use corrugated steel panels and fiberglass slat coverings on a simple arch frame, creating durable dwellings designed for rapid deployment.
Design Details
- Manufacturer: BSB Design (Abod)
- Construction: Arch frame with corrugated steel panels
- Foundation: Concrete slab
- Assembly: Four people, one day, using screwdriver and awl
- Expected Lifespan: 20-30 years
- Options: Kitchen, toilet, shower, loft, windows, doors, flooring
- Expandability: Units can connect together for larger homes
Abod Shelter Exterior
Interior Layout Options
Layouts can be personalized with small kitchens, toilets, showers, lofts, windows, and various options for doors, flooring, closets, and walls. The modular design allows units to connect together to create larger living spaces.
Construction Process
The assembly process requires minimal tools and can be completed in one day with four people. The structures sit on a concrete foundation and use a simple arch frame system.
Completed Abod Shelter
Awning Configuration
Optional large awnings extend the usable living space outdoors, providing shade and weather protection.
Lessons from Prefab Arch Frame Housing
- Simple Shapes Speed Assembly: Arch frames eliminate complex framing and allow rapid construction with minimal tools
- Industrial Materials Reduce Costs: Corrugated steel and standard fasteners keep manufacturing expenses low
- Modular Design Enables Growth: Connecting multiple units allows families to expand as needs change
- Mass Production Increases Affordability: Standardized components allow factory production at scale
- Durability Matters for Value: A 20-30 year lifespan provides long-term shelter despite low initial cost
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Alex
I'm sorry, but this is not a house…
who are you to decided what is and isn’t a house, its a damn shelter and still
beats nothing
I think these are fabulous! But clearly designed for a hot climate, so the rest of us would have to think about insulation.
They're tiny but I couldn't find any dimensions listed on the website. I downloaded a PDF of some sample floor plans and whoever put them together doesn't do much cooking, since they only allocated what looks like two feet of counter space and a sink! The mockup of a single dwelling didn't even include a toilet or shower, which seems a better use of the indoor space than a dining room table. (Especially in hot climate, where people could just eat their meals outdoors.)
I'd like to see them offer a version with a shower (given the material the house is made of, that would be super-easy to do) and the toilet could be composting (and would therefore not need plumbing), or at least instructions or suggestions about how that might be done.
It's a terrific concept, I really like it!
Clearly these would be a hotbox in a hot ( or sunny) climate. Clearly they are made for a moderate climate.
Looks like yet another reworking of the venerable Quonset Hut, designed for military use and to be assembled in a short period of time. Very popular back in the States and Worldwide when they were sold off as surplus when WW 2 was over, though still in use and thrown up as late as Vietnam. There are a lot of carports based on this design going up everyday too.
I think these are fabulous! But clearly designed for a hot climate, so the rest of us would have to think about insulation.
They're tiny but I couldn't find any dimensions listed on the website. I downloaded a PDF of some sample floor plans and whoever put them together doesn't do much cooking, since they only allocated what looks like two feet of counter space and a sink! The mockup of a single dwelling didn't even include a toilet or shower, which seems a better use of the indoor space than a dining room table. (Especially in hot climate, where people could just eat their meals outdoors.)
I'd like to see them offer a version with a shower (given the material the house is made of, that would be super-easy to do) and the toilet could be composting (and would therefore not need plumbing), or at least instructions or suggestions about how that might be done.
It's a terrific concept, I really like it!
Looks like yet another reworking of the venerable Quonset Hut, designed for military use and to be assembled in a short period of time. Very popular back in the States and Worldwide when they were sold off as surplus when WW 2 was over, though still in use and thrown up as late as Vietnam. There are a lot of carports based on this design going up everyday too.
Looks like a sleep pod to me 🙂
I could see these actually being converted for cooler climates easily. Just get more corrugated sheet, apply insulation to the inside of the outer walls then screw the sheets into the struts on the inside. It looks like this would provide about 3 inches thickness of space/insulation.
Thanks for the great idea! I am rebuilding from having lost everything to a wildfire and am living in a 12′ x 15′ metal, insulated cabin. I am finishing the inside myself. My next project is to replace the garage and then the barn. Insulated Quonset hut, here I come! Thank you both, Alex and DougTheBug.