California architect Gregg Fleishman knows how to put together a house in a hurry, and that's just what he's done with this DH1 Disaster House. Unlike the Fab Tree Hab house we showed you here that needs to be grown in place like a tree, a remarkable advantage of this structure is its easy transportability. The 14-foot-square flatpack dwelling starts out as a simple stack of European birch plywood and can be quickly pieced together for nearly instant shelter without even using nails or any other fasteners.

This little structure would be suitable for hurricane victims. It has a structural floor that sits 30 inches off the ground, which might come in handy if you're building it in a flood zone. But it's not entirely waterproof—for that, you'll need to stretch a plastic or canvas skin around it. And, unless you don't mind being blown away with the first stiff wind, it needs to be attached in four points to a concrete slab.

Now all Fleischman needs to do is bring the price down, which currently is $22,000 for this little disaster house. We're thinking hurricane victims may not have that kind of cash on hand, but perhaps by using less exotic materials, this concept could make the difference between living under a roof or sleeping under the stars. — Charlie White

Gregg Fleishman, via Shedworking