10 most amazing mobile housing solutions you'd like to know about

Bored of your regular, energy-inefficient dwellings? Here are a few sustainable housing ideas that you may like to know about. Green homes of tomorrow seem to be mobile, portable, comfy and much more. Read on to know more about such sustainable abodes...
1. Be-coc 'Mobile Home': Modular solar caravan for the eco-conscious

be coc mobile home

Here is a modular caravan that's a complete pad for those who don't wish to compromise on the luxury element, though do care for nature. The usp of this mobile home is a lounge along with other essential portions like a room, kitchen and a bathroom. This eco friendly caravan has two shells and two swivel rocking panels. It is fully customizable. Moreover, extra facilities can be added to it as per the wish and need.

2. Artist transforms shopping cart into mobile home for post-apocalyptic living

artist transforms shopping cart mobile home

This fully-functional home has been designed by artist Kevin Cyr from Brooklyn. Cyr drew inspiration from McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel "The Road" and came up with this design, which has enough space for even 5-foot-8 frame. Those, who have doomsday predictions hammering their minds, can resort to this home that has been built using a shopping cart.
3. BLOOM living module offers nature's best in the lap of solitude

bloom living module

Now you can live a life pampered by hi-end resources even when you are away from the civilization. This BLOOM living module has been designed by designer Olga Kalugina. It uses solar energy for heat and power and is easy to transport too. The concept abode can easily be folded into smaller units, thus facilitating transport. Unfolding too is a very easy task, which can be done to increase the internal space.
4. A portable vacation capsule to attach to any rooftop

portable vacation capsule

It doesn't cost to imagine the concept of John Lennon materializing. John has imagined a portable vacation capsule that can be attached to the rooftop of any building that you like. And in case you don't really like the view, choose another spot and go on. The concept designer wants us to believe that this capsule could be transported into wild as well. And yes, it is powered by green energy. We just hope that this idea comes alive someday.

5. Don Vardo portable green home is packed on a trailer

don vardo portable green home

Here is a portable space that can be used as an office or a home. This is build by Oregon-based Portland Alternative Dwellings and is christened The Don Vardo. This dwelling includes a desk, kitchen nook, pull-out double bed and radiant heat floors, packed on a 7X10-foot trailer. To top these facilities, it is fully insulated. Douglas fir doors, rain screen cedar siding, an LED rope-light to save energy and efficient double-hung windows, add an element of luxury and prove their worth in terms of energy efficient too. All this at $22,000.
6. Quno - The future of mobility and living

quno mobile living

Industrial designer Jeongche YOON is the person behind this mobility concept. Yoon believes that future homes would move a notch ahead than just homes. They could be driven, like cars, by using more eco friendly fuels such as electricity. To the owner's benefit, the concept might reduce the labor cost as well. To the nature's benefit, the construction waste and garbage may be reduced as well. These sleek, smartly designed, compact vehicles would be easy to handle and are customizable too. This concept may fit well in the future world which might face a huge space crunch and meet the challenges of comfort and mobility as well.
7. Self-sufficient Eco-Capsule, a Flintstone home of the future

self sufficient eco capsule

Here is the idea of a dwelling that may take you back to the peace and calm of the stone age, in terms of style too. Conceptualized by Slovakia-based Nice Architects, this all-aerodynamic capsule is a combo of a wagon, RV trailer and all aerodynamic eco-capsule; not to forget the modern amenities. It will use sustainable materials that may help it in adapting to all sort of requirements from living and mobile quarters and even towing behind a vehicle. Its usp are solar aluminum tiles that reduce the energy requirements. Interestingly, this could be expanded in an open studio space.
8. The Expandable Mobile Mini House

mobile mini house

For those of you, who don't find the idea of a tent very fascinating, you'd definitely want to consider a lavish exaggeration of this accommodation in the form of Stéphanie Bellanger's Mobile Mini House. Inspired by John Lautner's Chemosphere house, this space includes a bathroom, living room, bedroom, kitchen, and guess what..an office! This design has sufficient storage space. So you don't have to leave your favorite books and clothing behind when you plan to move into this mini house.
9. Japanese Pals Recycle Old Truck into Transforming Two-Story Mobile Home

old truck into transforming two story mobile home

This hydraulic, double-decker, transforming, fully-equipped camper has a deep Japanese connection that's visible at the first sight itself. The Japanese-style zen loft space, rice paper windows, tatami mats, and of course the manufacturers themselves add a certain grace to the abode. It is made by a group of friends who transformed nothing less than an 'old truck' into this mobile home. Way to go guys.
10. Martin caravan house

martin caravan house

Julie Martin lost her house to the hurricane Katrina, but he exploited this experience in creating something inspirational. Julie Martin has crafted a new model called Fresh Start. It is build using 3/4 ton truck with trailer hitch ball 5/16th second, and has the introductory price of $29,900.

10 Most Amazing Bridges

Banpo Bridge (South Korea): The Fountain Bridge

On September 9, 2008, the Banpo Bridge in Seoul (South Korea) got a major facelift: a 10,000-nozzle fountain that runs all the way on both sides. Immediately after being installed, the bridge turned into a major tourist attraction, as the bridge pumps out 190 tons of water per minute using the water from the river below.

Millau Bridge (France): World's Tallest Vehicular Bridge

Towering 1,125-ft above the Tarn Valley in southern France, driving along the Millau Bridge is said to feel like flying. This Foster + Partners marvel is slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower, took three years to build and opened to the public in 2004. While it may provide picturesque views of the valley below, once the mist descends it is not a route for the faint hearted! The Millau Bridge has a total length of 8,071-ft with the longest single span at 1,122-ft and a maximum clearance below of 886-ft; in short the bridge is massively impressive both on paper and in real life. The deck is lofted on 7 pylons and weighs 36,000 tonnes. A series of 7 masts, each 292-ft tall and weighing 700 tonnes, are attached to the corresponding pylons.

Henderson Waves (Singapore): Most Beautiful Pedestrian Bridge

At a height of 36 metres or 12 storeys from the road, it is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. The 300-metre bridge links up the parks at Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill.

Hangzhou Bay Bridge (China): World's Longest Trans-Oceanic Bridge

Across the Hangzhou Bay extends the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world, with 35,673 kilometres (22 mi) long with six expressway lanes in two directions. The bridge was built to address traffic congestion in the booming region, cutting the driving time between Shanghai and Ningbo from four to two-and-a-half hours.

The bridge underwent various feasibility studies for a decade before it was approved in 2003, and finally opened to the public on May 1, 2008. Total investment on the bridge was RMB 11.8 billion (around US$ 1.4 billion).

Rolling Bridge (UK): The Bridge that Curls Up on Itself

Designed by Heatherwick Studio, the award-winning Rolling Bridge is located Paddington Basin, London. Rather than a conventional opening bridge mechanism, consisting of a single rigid element that lifts to let boats pass, the Rolling Bridge gets out of the way by curling up until its two ends touch. While in its horizontal position, the bridge is a normal, inconspicuous steel and timber footbridge; fully open, it forms a circle on one bank of the water that bears little resemblance to its former self.

Twelve metres long, the bridge is made in eight steel and timber sections, and is made to curl by hydraulic rams set into the handrail between each section.

Oliveira Bridge (Brazil): World's First X-shaped Cable Stayed Bridge with two crossed lanes

The Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge over the Pinheiros River in São Paulo, Brazil was opened in May 2008. It is 138 metres (450-ft) tall, and connects Marginal Pinheiros to Jornalista Roberto Marinho Avenue. Its design is unique in that the 2 curved decks of the bridge cross each other through its X-shaped supporting tower.

Wind and Rain Bridge (China): Dong people's bridge

The Wind and Rain Bridge is the symbolized architecture of the Dong minority people. The wind and rain bridge in Diping is the largest of its kind in Guizhou Province, where China's biggest Dong community lives. The bridge is over 50 meters long and it was first built in 1894 during the Qing Dynasty over 100 years ago. However, the original structure was destroyed in a big fire in 1959 and the one visitors see today was a recreation finished in 1964.

It is a pure wooden architecture made up of pillars, purlins and balusters of different sizes and shapes. The body of the bridge is divided to three tiers, the largest one in the middle take the shape of a traditional Chinese drum tower. The pilasters and eaves of the bridge are engraved with flowers and patterns and are quite magnificent.

Tower Bridge (UK): Most Famous and Beautiful Victorian Bridge

Completed in 1894 and designed by Horace Jones and Wolfe Barry, Tower Bridge (so named after the two, striking, 141-ft high towers and the Tower of London close to it) is one of the most famous landmarks in London and one of the most beautiful in the world. The 800-ft long bridge has a 28-ft clearance when closed but raises in the centre to a maximum clearance of 140-ft that allows ships to pass down the Thames. Back in the days when goods were moved by sea instead of air the bridge was raised around 50 times daily. Tower Bridge took 432 workers 8 years to build. During that time they sank 70,000 tonnes of concrete into 2 huge piers, lowered 2 counterbalanced bascules into place each weighing 1,000 tonnes and then clad the whole bridge in Portland stone and Cornish granite to disguise the 11,000 tonnes of steel beneath.

Magdeburg Water Bridge (Germany): Europe's Largest Water Bridge

The Magdeburg Water Bridge connects the former East and West Germany over the Elbe River, and it was made as part of the unification project. 1 km long, the 500 million euros water bridge enables river barges to avoid a lengthy and sometimes unreliable passage along the Elbe. Shipping used to come to a halt on the stretch if the river’s water mark felt to unacceptably low levels.

Ponte Vecchio (Italy): Oldest and Most Famous of its kind

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence is one of the most famous tourist spots in Italy, and is thought to be the oldest wholly-stone built, segmental arch bridge in Europe, although there are many partial segments which date further back. It was originally built of wood until destroyed by floods in 1333, and twelve years later it was rebuilt using stone. Famous for its lining of shops, the bridge has housed everybody from Medieval merchants and butchers to souvenir stalls and art dealers.