Sustainable Design: Nev House

WORDS Cheri Morris

Nev Hyman, a renowned Australian surfboard shaper and founder of Nev House, has together with his team taken recycling to new heights with an innovative and sustainable take on a solution to homelessness in disaster stricken communities.

Nev House is a sustainable building product made from recycled plastic waste that is versatile enough to be used to create durable shelter structures.

As it is flat-packed, the Nev House is easily transportable. It can be shipped anywhere in the world and can be assembled in as little as five days. By design, the houses have natural thermal airflow, are solar powered, wind- and fire-resistant and most remarkably, can withstand a level 5 cyclone.

Able to function on and off a power grid, with sanitation and clean drinking water solutions, these revolutionary homes are a holistic solution to providing the necessities to those that need them the most, and as quickly as possible.

Nev House makes a point of working closely with the governments of developing countries making use of their product, such as Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, to create affordable sanctuaries for those devastated by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tidal waves and cyclones.

Their architects conduct extensive research on each community and the people that reside there, while working closely with local architects to understand their needs and way of life. Creating housing and other structural solutions that are tailor-made to their needs, their focus is on providing hybrid traditional housing that offers first-world shelter and protection without straying too far from traditional building methods.

This results in unique community structures – homes, schools and clinics – that are specifically designed to cater for the community’s geographic, climatic, spiritual and lifestyle needs.

Nev House is a winner of a Good Design Award 2016 and also received recognition under the Social Innovation category for pioneering work towards sustainable community development.

See more of their projects at nevhouse.com.