I know, right? There's a company here in Maine that does CONEX conversions as woods and lakeside cabins (what we in this part of the state call "camps", even though they're permanent structures). I've always been put off of camp ownership by the fact that the vast majority of them in the state are on leased land (most of the state's woodlands are under corporate ownership), but I dig the concept.

>and it's cool to see something that's purpose-built
>for this. I hope they're successful.

The connection to UF is pretty tenuous (as a result of which I may move this thread over to General), since the prefab space-colony houses in Star-Crossed are a) considerably larger b) for a different purpose and c) only called IKEAs as an (in-story) joke, but I do like the concept. It does appear that this sort of shelter, if they can get the mass-production right and the costs manageable, would greatly improve living conditions in the sort of Hoovervilles that so many people around the world's hotspots are stuck in nowadays. They're obviously more suited to some climates than others - I wouldn't want to try and live in one at the latitude where I live, for instance - but then I wouldn't want to try and live in a tent around here either.

>What'll be interesting is to come back in fifty years and see if those
>prefabs have become the basis of new cities.

The really exciting thing to me is that not so much that some early installations may prove permanent, but rather that this could be the on-ramp to this sort of thing becoming a ubiquitous, constantly refined technology, like tents. The potential for variations used in other applications - field hospitals spring to mind - is marvelous.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Actually, upon further review, the connection to UF is fine (the "IKEA" colony habs are very prominent parts of Star-Crossed), it was just the connection to Symphony of the Sword that was the problem. So I've moved it over here instead.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Another version that seems to be another take on the idea is RDM. Smaller than the IKEA structure and setup, but it doubles as its own packaging and is somewhat more recyclable.

--- Philip

	Philip J. Moyer Contributing Writer, Editor and Artist (and Moderator) -- Eyrie Productions, Unlimited CEO of MTS, High Poobah Of Artwork, and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios "Insert Pithy Comment Here"