white arkitekter constructs chameleon cabin entirely from paper

the paper structure changes its appearance depending on the viewer's perspective, comprising dual black and white façades.

philip stevens January 12, 2014 2 min

white arkitekter constructs chameleon cabin entirely from paper
photo by rasmus norlander
all images courtesy of white arkitekter

mattias lind, a partner at scandinavian practice white arkitekter, has developed ‘chameleon cabin’ a house constructed entirely from paper. as the name suggests, the structure changes its appearance depending on the viewer’s perspective, comprising dual black and white façades. looking to explore the limits of the renewable and versatile material, the modular design has the potential to be extended to several hundred meters if required.

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the modular design is constructed entirely from paper
photo by rasmus norlander

designed to make a modest everyday material more beautiful, images of white and black marble are printed onto the building’s corrugated envelope. internally, a bright yellow was chosen establishing a warm and intimate space which contrasts the more discrete exterior. the proportions of the scheme are based on the swedish ‘friggebod’, a small shed that can be erected without the need for planning permission.

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lateral façade showing the dual nature of the scheme
photo by rasmus norlander

weighing only 100 kilograms, the house consists of 95 modules and is constructed from sheets of miniwell, a durable and sturdy 2mm corrugated paper. the roof and the four elevations are suspended with hangers, a similar construction method to lego, giving the design a high degree of flexibility.

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the house features small openings within its corrugated envelope
photo by rasmus norlander

the final project was the the result of numerous full scale tests, investigating the strength of the structure’s form. the project is a co-operation among white arkitekter, the printer göteborgstryckeriet and brand agency happy F + B.

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the proportions are based on the swedish ‘friggebod’, a small shed that can be erected without planning permission
photo by rasmus norlander

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the black ‘marble’ façade
photo by rasmus norlander

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the yellow interior establishes a warm and intimate environment
photo by rasmus norlander

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photos by rasmus norlander

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the versatility of ‘chameleon cabin’ means it can be assembled in a range of locations
photo by rasmus norlander