airbnb, hydroponics and soil form 'practical utopia' concept in friends of brick

recombining elements of suburban living, contemporary technologies and existing trade and service markets like airbnb, australian-based architectural studio blight blight & blight‘s concept for a practical utopia proposes a modern and sustainable way of living. divided into ‘the cave’ and ‘the light’, ‘friends of brick’ is a two-part ecosystem comprising a brick vault base and a plantation area.

plantations on top of friends of brick form ‘the light’ within the constructed utopia. automated to produce food for the family while at the same time creating a paradisiacal setting for suburban family life, the structure and plantations are both shaded and protected by a mushroom net and watered by the halo-esque shower, an automated system which collects rainwater and trickles down like an internal waterfall.

below, the brick vault – ‘the cave’ – offers a structurally robust space for living whilst also an area for cultivating produce which can be sold through a street-side vending machine. the concept is proposed as a new kind of airbnb listing centered around self-sufficiency so as to increase social time for the inhabitants.

starting with natural building materials and social constructs, friends of brick aims to tap into the powerful capacity of ecological thinking, highlighting the family model, plant resources and material references such like soil and brick. blight, blight and blight then employ more contemporary elements such as hydroponics and automation, and service phenomenons such as airbnb and the ubiquitous vending machine, creating a system that allows inhabitants complete self-sufficiency, maximum sustainability, high quality living environment and a passive income on the side.

‘utopia is hard work. why not automate it?’, questions friends of brick. ‘a big part of our practice is working out how achievable design can let us realise our most ambitious ideals regarding life, work and play. we’re always on the hunt for ways reconfiguring our environment can help us live richer and fuller lives that are also more sustainable and lower impact.’