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Homes of Hope
Eliminating Domiks Across Armenia
30 years after the devastating Spitak earthquake in Armenia, over 4,000 families remain in temporary housing (Domiks). Over 2,400 children are growing up in dire situations with no solutions in sight.
Armenian Relief and Development Association (ARDA) is partnering with Form Found Design to eradicate temporary housing in the country of Armenia. Using advanced technology and local resources (materials & labor) we are providing efficient and dignified housing solutions for the families most in need.
Lumber is scarce in Armenia, and wood is susceptible to termite and fire damage. Steel is fire & termite resistant and performs well in earthquake-prone regions. Steel is also easily accessible in Armenia. ARDA is employing modern technologies to come up with cost effective solutions. One of which is the FrameCAD Machine, which forms, punches, labels, and cuts custom, steel studs.
Phase 1: Prototype
We will design and build a prototype of a house in Los Angeles using the FrameCAD machine’s steel studs and other materials that can be found locally in Armenia. This will allow us to test ideas and ensure the design is ready for production in Armenia. Once the design is finalized, we will build a “sister house” with the same dimensions and ship it to Armenia.
Your contributions will fund the first stage of the project: design and construction of the prototype home.
The prototype will be on public display for donors to tour the house and the assembly line production that made it possible.
FrameCAD Advantages:
· Manufacturing Speed - The framing for an entire house can be printed in under an hour.
· Assembly Speed - Framing assembly takes a matter of days.
· Assembly Efficiency - Unlike lumber, stud sizes are all pre-measured and labeled and screw together with the same type of connection for the entire house.
· Insulation – The “C”-profile of steel studs allows insulation to fit inside the stud, allowing for a more continuous thermal barrier than wood-frame construction.
· Jobsite Production – The FrameCAD machine can be brought to the jobsite to print framing directly on site, eliminating shipping costs of prefabricated wall panels. The machine runs off a generator so there is no need for an electrical utility hookup.