swiss architect hans zwimpfer has patented his building design ‘pile up’ in europe and the united states.
while most buildings don’t qualify for patent status, ‘pile up’ is more of a building system than an object.
the concept takes the comfort and experience of a residential home and merges it with the density of
urban living by piling homes together. the idea is essentially like the game ‘tetris’, stacking bricks together
into a compact form. each home is two has a part that touches the ground, providing access to outdoor
space. the rest of the home is tacked in between others and features an open concept with plenty of
windows and balconies. the interiors are kept open and without load-bearing walls to allow residents to
customize their space to their needs over time. the idea is said to cost about the same as a standard
apartment building and projects are already underway in europe and africa.

http://www.zwimpferpartner.ch

‘housing stack’ at the new york times