Rinker Materials™, AIAS and a Single Mom Aim to Make Owning a Home No Pipe Dream
February 19, 2019
Next Generation Tiny Home Shelters Those in Need
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/AIAS?src=hash” target=”_blank”gt;#AIASlt;/agt;–With the prevalence of homelessness and overpopulation across the
country, Rinker
Materials™ and the American
Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) joined forces to make
affordable, high-quality housing a reality through the vision of
architectural student Sandra D. Guillen. A native of La Paz, Bolivia and
the single mother of a 12-year-old son, Guillen tapped personal
experiences to win the Rinker
Materials/AIAS Pipe Dream tiny home design contest. Based on her
design, the first tiny home built from concrete pipe in the U.S. will be
revealed at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas on Feb.
19th.
Challenged to transform concrete pipe traditionally used for underground
storm water management from Rinker Materials into a tiny home, Guillen
bested other AIAS members by focusing on function and comfort. She also
leaned on her dream of becoming an architect to reconstruct the 8-foot
diameter, 16-foot long concrete pipe into a mobile, stackable, durable,
sustainable and relatively inexpensive alternative to traditional
housing. The next generation of tiny homes, concrete pipe is a
real-world solution for homelessness and overpopulation as well as those
displaced by natural disaster or simply unable to afford a home.
Who Needs a Home?
- 554,000 people are homeless on any given night (HUD)
-
U.S. population growing 2 million a year or 240 people per hour (U.S.
Census) - Northern California wildfires displaced 50,000 (LA Times)
-
Hurricane Florence forced 20,000 into shelters (N.C. Dept. of Public
Health) - Home values are 16% higher than in 2008 (Sharestates)
-
Annual increase in earnings is 3% while annual home prices increase 5%
(Reuters)
“As a child, my parents emphasized the importance of an education. In
fact, my mother would playfully threaten to send me to live in a pipe
under the bridge if I didn’t do well in school,” said Guillen. “While I
understood her point, it was also a harsh reminder of the homeless
problem around the world. When I heard about the Pipe Dream contest, I
knew it was my opportunity to make a difference. Concrete pipe makes the
perfect structure for a tiny home and hopefully my design will help many
people live more comfortably. At the very least, this experience
culminates my journey to earn a degree and sets a great example for my
son.”
Extending the natural cool gray of the concrete pipe, Guillen integrated
light blues and off whites into the home design. She chose these popular
neutral colors to give the home a soft and welcome feel, while making
the nearly 100 square-foot domicile seem much larger. The effect of
enlarging the tiny home was also accomplished by incorporating tile
surfaces, large French glass front doors and two retractable glass
windows in the rear. A covered porch and large paver patio with grill
significantly increase the living space outside of the tiny home as
well. To streamline the process, Rinker Materials turned to fellow QUIKRETE®
companies, Custom®
Building Products and Keystone
Hardscapes®, for the tile and paver installation,
respectively.
Pipe Dream Home Highlights
-
48 sf of 6” x 24” plank tile floor in kitchen, bathroom and covered
porch - 50 sf of glass wall tile in kitchen
- 12” radiant electric cooktop in kitchen
- 15” x 15” x 6”drop sink in kitchen
- 100 sf white hex tile in bathroom
- Sink positive space-saving sink in bathroom
- Collapsible bed, couch and workstation in bedroom/office
- Paver planter for sustainable gardening
The wooden-frame, four-section modular tiny home design – kitchen, a
bathroom, living area and combination bedroom/office – can be assembled
in a Rinker Materials concrete pipe in less than a day (excluding
electricity and plumbing). The 30 ton fire-resistant concrete pipe can
be easily transported on a flatbed truck and simply requires eight
commercial-grade rubber wheel chocks to stabilize the tiny home. While
amenities will dictate the final cost of a tiny home built from concrete
pipe, the prototype revealed at IBS was about $35,000. The core cost for
the concrete pipe is about $14,000, so the overall tiny home could be
more or less expensive depending on how it’s customized.
“Exploring our concrete pipe as a tool to fight homelessness and
overpopulation alongside the AIAS has already proven to be a viable
prospect,” said Tom Hartley, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for
Rinker Materials. “Sandra’s unique perspective resulted in a smart,
repeatable design that could truly make tiny concrete pipe homes
accessible to anyone. Combine that with our national distribution and
there isn’t a community we couldn’t potentially help. Ultimately, our
long-term goal is partnering with HUD, FEMA and similar organizations to
make tiny concrete pipe homes a reality for those in need.”
“We are incredibly proud of Sandra—and all of our members who
contributed to this competition—for their bold and innovative spirit,”
said Charlie Klecha, Interim Executive Director of the AIAS. “This
competition and our partnership with Rinker Materials are valuable
indicators of the kind of forward-looking and actionable progress that
can be achieved when we open our minds to the voices of a new
generation, and collaborate with them as equal partners in the crafting
of more equitable and resilient built environment for all.”
For more details on the Pipe Dream project including photos and videos
highlighting Guillen’s story, design concepts, construction and the
future of tiny homes made of Rinker Materials concrete pipe, visit www.RinkerPipeDream.com.
Rinker Materials™
Rinker Materials™, a QUIKRETE® Company, is one of the
nation’s largest and leading manufacturers of concrete pipe and related
products for the collection, treatment, safe storage and/or controlled
release of stormwater. Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Houston,
Rinker Materials™ produces a full range of concrete piping and precast
concrete box culverts from more than 30 U.S. facilities. Rinker
Materials™ products meet or contribute to pipe specifications defined by
American Society of Testing Materials, American Association of State
Highway & Transportation Officials, American Railway Engineering and
Maintenance-of-Way Association, American Society of Civil Engineers,
American Society of Testing Materials and/or United States Bureau of
Reclamation. For more information, visit www.RinkerPipe.com.
American Institute of Architecture
The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is a non-profit,
student-run organization dedicated to programs, information and
resources on issues critical to architecture and the experience of
education. For more information, visit aias.org
or call Kimberly Tuttle at (202) 808-0036.
Contacts
Chad Corley
The QUIKRETE® Companies
(404) 634-9100
ccorley@quikrete.com