Paco House – Jacked In The Box

I am never tired of humanity’s cheesy, pseudo eco-friendly, “artsy” attempts at futuristic house designs. Behold, the Paco House! Japan’s Jo (the Builder) Nagasaka and Schemata Architecture has come with this prefab hell-box for the living. It’s a friggin white crate with a lid –Jack In The Box called, he wants his crib back. The sleeping area is a hammock that normally hangs on the wall. A white block with a sink is the “kitchen” and it takes up a noticeable portion of your meager 9ft by 9ft room. Your dining area appears as you pop out a panel out of the floor. If you have to squeeze out a taco in your Paco, just pop out a panel in the floor revealing the toilet. BTW, according to the instruction illustration, that’s the same toilet you sit on while taking a shower. Apart from concealing the kitchen table and toilet, the floor also hides additional coffin sleeping space and a storage area – that’s right you AND a guest can spend the night in this 9×9 party pod! Now the killer question – how much? Well, the Basic model, and we are talking Real Basic model which consists of the just the shell goes for about $46,000 USD! If you want to Pimp Out your Paco, it will cost you -  adding the kitchen, shower, shower curtains, bathroom, epoxy painted floor and ceiling lighting brings the price up to $69,500! I believe, for much less, you can buy some serious acreage with a real house in many parts of rural America… Yeah I know, that doesn’t sound nearly as cool as living in a Paco Box.

Check out the pictures after the break.

[Via]

If you cannot resist a peek inside, the home’s innovative roof flips up to reveal a modern interior. The movable roof is achieved by hydraulic cylinders, allowing you to sleep under a roof or under the stars without ever leaving the comfort of Paco House.

The interior of Paco House is illuminated using energy-efficient LED lighting. And when the lights go out, natural light floods the space via the skylight, made of two sheets of glass with air trapped in between to prevent condensation.

Your sleeping quarters – consisting of a hammock – does not require any floor space, further maximizing the micro compact layout. The hammock is made of an innovative three-dimensional stereoscopic knit that maintains its elasticity and conforms to your body for a restful 40 winks.

If you think a three-meter-square home might not have room for a shower, think again. The shower in Paco House is built into the overall design with a movable, sheer, waterproof partition wall that separates the spray from the living areas. This space-saving shower also houses the toilet.

The inventive toilet is installed beneath the floor, so when it’s not in use, it is concealed and out of the way, opening up more room for livable space.

The home’s kitchen area is made of 10mm acrylic, and is attachable to the side door. Swing open the door and your kitchen is now your outdoor barbecue area.

If you’ve ever tried fitting a dining table in a small space, you’ll know if not an easy task. Paco House features a table that, when not in use, is concealed beneath the floor. When dinner time rolls around, the table can be lifted with a simple 90-degree turn of the handle.

The unique use of under-floor space makes this modern house design work. Apart from concealing the kitchen table and toilet, the floor also hides additional sleeping space and a storage area.

And this wonderful, innovative floor itself is made of painted epoxy.

The Paco House is available in four basic plans. Plan A features the kitchen, shower, shower curtains, bathroom, epoxy painted floor and ceiling lighting at a total price of 6,300,000 yen. Plan B boasts a kitchen, epoxy painted floor and ceiling lighting at a price of 5,250,000 yen. Plan C features the epoxy painted floor and ceiling lighting for 4,725,000 yen. Plan D is the home’s basic shell, which you can customize to your needs and interests, selling for 4,200,000 yen.