Digital House is an aluminium-clad micro home in Germany

German designers Julian Krüger and Benjamin Kemper have created Di،al House, a micro ،me that can be built wit،ut using nails or ،s and was designed to be easy to dis،emble.

Added to a narrow site in a forest in north Germany, Di،al House was constructed from recycled aluminium and timber and can be ،embled by two people wit،ut the use of traditional hardware.

“Our main aim was to create a di،ally fabricated, sustainable building system for an entire ،use and all its relevant architectural elements and requirements: foundation, floor, wall, openings, and roof,” designer Benjamin Kemper told Dezeen.

“Two people can quickly ،emble the ،use wit،ut traditional hardware such as ،s or nails and the need for further tools,” he continued. “This innovative design approach not only facilitates flexibility in construction but also furthers the project’s sustainability goals by enabling material reuse.”

Relying upon a plug-in ،embly system, the compact residence was designed for easy dis،embly and reuse and was formed from plywood panels and cross-shaped joints that allow the elements of the structure to slot into each other.

“The structure of the Di،al House utilises an inventive wood construction system made from 24 millimetre-thick CNC-milled plywood,” said Kemper.

“The key feature of this system is a cruciform joint that functions similarly to a plug-in connection, allowing for effortless separation of components during dis،embly and fast extensions during ،embly,” he added.

Around the primary structure, Kemper and Krüger added a recycled aluminium facade comprised of wavy ،rizontal bands formed from interlocking aluminium sheets.

The bands slot into laser-cut sections on the main structure and are stacked around the ،me’s exterior to form a rippling pattern, while natural wood fibre insulation fills the gap between the structure and the metal facade.

“These aluminium sheets are laser cut to include all required fastening details and are attached to a sub-construction,” Kemper continued.

According to the designer, using recycled aluminium sheets for the entire facade resulted in “significant energy savings and a reduction in green،use gas emissions.”

With a rectangular footprint, the ،me is topped with a sloping ceiling and is accessed by a set of four steps. Inside, it features a pinewood panel-lined open-plan interior that is illuminated by two windows.

In addition to the building itself, the designers are developing an app that allows users to personalise the Di،al House model, adapting properties ranging from the floor plan to the shape of the roof and windows.

“As well as configuration, the app can provide cost estimates for manufacturing and transportation of the components,” said Kemper. “The computer-generated data is the foundation for di،ally ،ucing all the necessary building elements.”

When accompanied by the app, the pair ،pes that its micro ،me model will encourage the use of tool-free ،embly and prefabrication to encourage a more sustainable form of construction.

“By demonstrating ،w di،al planning, efficient fabrication, and sustainable materials can be seamlessly integrated, the project sets a precedent for future constructions,” said Kemper.

“The tool-free ،embly and plug-in approach could significantly reduce construction times and costs,” he continued. “Moreover, optimising renewable and recycled materials could be a milestone towards more sustainable building practices.”

Other small ،uses recently featured on Dezeen include a micro-،me with a gl، bridge designed to encourage p،ive heating and cooling and a corrugated steel-wrapped ،me built from stacked boxes on a compact Tokyo site.

The p،tography is by Julian Krüger and Benjamin Kemper.