Our mission is to put the tools & knowledge to design, manufacture and assemble beautiful, low-cost, low-carbon buildings into the hands of every citizen, community and business.
About WikiHouse
The WikiHouse project was started as an exploration into how the web could be used to transform the way we make homes.
Between now and 2050, as a society, we face a huge construction challenge: not only do we need to build millions of homes, schools and other buildings, but those buildings need to be low-energy, low-carbon and built to maximise our wellbeing.
Our current construction methods are simply not fit for this purpose. They are slow, unpredictable, wasteful, energy and carbon intensive and require huge amounts of skilled labour.
When we think of alternatives to these methods, we tend to think of solutions that require large, expensive, centralised manufacturing facilities, producing one-size-fits-all modular homes. What’s referred to as ‘Industry 3.0’. These are great for large projects by large companies, but not so great for small, custom projects.
But what if we could also set up digital microfactories for a fraction of the cost: a network of local manufacturers, sharing common solutions using the web? A distributed, flexible supply chain. ‘Industry 4.0’
WikiHouse is the first building system designed for that kind of ecosystem. Ultimately, it is rooted not in any one particular technology, but in a few fundamental design principles.
Design to lower thresholds
Design to continuously lower barriers of time, cost, risk, skill, energy, waste, and carbon at every stage.
Design to continuously lower barriers of time, cost, risk, skill, energy, waste, and carbon at every stage.
Share global, manufacture local
Instead of manufacturing one-size-fits-all products in large, centralised factories, use local, flexible microfactories. ‘It is easier to ship recipes than cakes and biscuits’ – Keynes
Instead of manufacturing one-size-fits-all products in large, centralised factories, use local, flexible microfactories. ‘It is easier to ship recipes than cakes and biscuits’ – Keynes
Modular
Bake knowledge and complexity into pre-manufactured components that are simple and predictable to fit together.
Bake knowledge and complexity into pre-manufactured components that are simple and predictable to fit together.
Use as few unique materials and methods as possible
Complexity raises exponentially with each additional material or procedure.
Complexity raises exponentially with each additional material or procedure.
Design for disassembly
Wet-trades are messy, inconsistent, slow and impossible to disassemble. Instead, most parts should slot, click, staple, tape, or be bolted or screwed together.
Wet-trades are messy, inconsistent, slow and impossible to disassemble. Instead, most parts should slot, click, staple, tape, or be bolted or screwed together.
Precision-as-standard
All components should be made to sufficient precision so when assembled the building is consistently straight and accurate, so other components fit without needing to be measured and cut on site.
All components should be made to sufficient precision so when assembled the building is consistently straight and accurate, so other components fit without needing to be measured and cut on site.
‘Poka Yoke’
Also known as ‘mistake-proofing’. Design parts such that it is physically impossible to assemble them incorrectly.
Also known as ‘mistake-proofing’. Design parts such that it is physically impossible to assemble them incorrectly.
Design in ‘canaries’
Build-in ‘tells’ or indicators that make it visible if something is incorrectly assembled, missing or not working properly.
Build-in ‘tells’ or indicators that make it visible if something is incorrectly assembled, missing or not working properly.
Tagging
Tag parts such that they can be sorted, assembled or maintained without needing to refer to drawings very often. Think ‘building by numbers’ (or colours).
Tag parts such that they can be sorted, assembled or maintained without needing to refer to drawings very often. Think ‘building by numbers’ (or colours).
Design-out dependencies
Separate-out (or avoid) any task that can cause knock-on delays to other tasks if it is not done on time, especially if it needs to be done by others.
Separate-out (or avoid) any task that can cause knock-on delays to other tasks if it is not done on time, especially if it needs to be done by others.
Start somewhere
No one can solve everyone’s problems. Design something that works where you are, then share so others can adapt it for their own economy, climate and culture. Like Darwin’s finches.
No one can solve everyone’s problems. Design something that works where you are, then share so others can adapt it for their own economy, climate and culture. Like Darwin’s finches.
‘Kaizen’
Kaizen means continuous incremental improvement, driven by encouraging everyone working at any point in the supply chain to suggest small updates to make the process better.
Kaizen means continuous incremental improvement, driven by encouraging everyone working at any point in the supply chain to suggest small updates to make the process better.
Open and interoperable
Be as product-agnostic and provider-agnostic as possible, so you can switch-out for an alternative product or company if required. We call this an ‘open chain’.
Be as product-agnostic and provider-agnostic as possible, so you can switch-out for an alternative product or company if required. We call this an ‘open chain’.
Open source
‘Be lazy like a fox’ – Linus Torvalds. Share common solutions for others to freely adapt and improve. This way, we all benefit from a huge R&D community, where no problem needs to be solved twice. No one ever owned the IP for bricks.
‘Be lazy like a fox’ – Linus Torvalds. Share common solutions for others to freely adapt and improve. This way, we all benefit from a huge R&D community, where no problem needs to be solved twice. No one ever owned the IP for bricks.
Design for inclusion
Never stop looking for ways in which age, race, gender, sexual orientation or disability might be barriers, and try to design them out.
Never stop looking for ways in which age, race, gender, sexual orientation or disability might be barriers, and try to design them out.
Design for a circular economy
Use parts that can be reused, fully recycled or burned in place of other fuels (without toxic emissions).
Use parts that can be reused, fully recycled or burned in place of other fuels (without toxic emissions).
Design-out hazards
As far as possible, try to design-out any risks to people’s safety, health and wellbeing at all stages of a building’s life – from making to use to disassembly.
As far as possible, try to design-out any risks to people’s safety, health and wellbeing at all stages of a building’s life – from making to use to disassembly.
Design for the ‘new normal’
Avoid design which would be considered ‘alternative’, ‘boutique’ or only for the rich or poor. Instead, design products that most people would consider desirable and affordable.
Avoid design which would be considered ‘alternative’, ‘boutique’ or only for the rich or poor. Instead, design products that most people would consider desirable and affordable.
Superpower the users
‘If you can’t mend it, you don’t own it’. Afford as much understanding and power as possible to the end users, from procurement to maintenance to electricity. Democracy is a design diagram.
‘If you can’t mend it, you don’t own it’. Afford as much understanding and power as possible to the end users, from procurement to maintenance to electricity. Democracy is a design diagram.
© Open Systems Lab 2019
The WikiHouse project is
maintained by Open Systems Lab, a non-profit company 9152368 registered in England & Wales
Go to Website︎
The WikiHouse project is
maintained by Open Systems Lab, a non-profit company 9152368 registered in England & Wales
Go to Website︎