Unusual Material: Newspaper!

Houses, buildings, monuments and other structures are typically made with wood, brick, metal, concrete, and a variety of other materials. However, some people choose to step out of the usual and invent other ways to construct houses, people such as Sumer Erek and Elis F. Stenman. Erek’s philosophy of “making public use of a public space using public waste” is supported and expanded by several modern architects in the recent years along with examples of his own. In this particular case, Erek along with Stenman choose newspapers, in different forms, to build the walls and even the furniture that would offer structure and support from the everyday world.

                Both artists choose to go about their building in unusual and diverse ways. There is not much information on the actual construction or process of Erek’s building but the concept is clear, ingenious and evident even through a simple photograph. Located in London, England, the structure is formed using approximately 80,000 recycled Metro newspapers. Main large corporations such as Metronet Rail, controllers of the underground transportation system, have donated a large majority of these old newspapers. Erek went about using these newspapers when they were rolled, stating that “People don't think you can build a house from newspapers because paper is flimsy, but when it is rolled up it is quite strong”. He constructed a metal frame to outline the shape and space of the building and then inserted the rolled newspapers in rows and stacked them upon each other, securing them with average plastic zip ties. His efforts were successful and recognized by the producers of Metro themselves.

                Sumer Erek’s idea was not the only one of its kind.  Another man, Elis Stenman, also sought to create a house from newspapers, perhaps even before Erek. Stenman was an engineer; his “newspaper house” was first started as just a hobby, a break from his typical job. In 1922, he began; building the framework out of standard wood, the newspapers acting as the insulation. His approach was to have the newspapers folded and stacked tightly. He insured its longevity by gluing the newspapers together, and then treating them with many coats of varnish.  The newspaper was originally supposed to be covered like any customary house, but it wasn’t.  As the years passed, the concept developed and grew, the newspapers were kept well varnished, but then elaborate and usable furniture was added. The house was actually occupied in the summertime, completed with electricity and running water. Ultimately, the idea of newspaper as a building material served its purpose and even went beyond the basic design or one’s simple curiosity, turning into a type of artistic expression.

                Nevertheless, like every good idea, it has its pros and cons. The positive aspects are most apparent. Houses built with newspapers are environmentally sensitive, fulfilling every sense of the word recycled. They cause one to think, and use their imagination, expand beyond the normal, a new form of art. With easier access to the materials and less demand for it, it is also cost efficient from an economic stand point. However, there are of course, negatives. Newspapers are still a kind of paper, meaning that they are unstable, capable of deterioration and weakness. They are flammable and therefore, inconsistent and incompatible with some household items. They are also unclean and not necessarily sanitary. It is up to the architect and personal opinion to weigh the objectives and decide if a newspaper structure fits ones specific need or desire.

                In the end, it is inspiring to see aspects of our everyday lives, common buildings, altered and changed to adapt to the world today. By using newspapers as a building material, Sumer Erek and Elis Stenman force us to challenge what we have perceived as the norm.  Along with their ideas, there are any other unusual materials used in construction, each of them with good and bad qualities, but all of them serving a definite purpose, and all of them becoming more than just a straightforward structure.

Works Cited:

·         "A House Made of Metros! | Metro.co.uk." Metro.co.uk: News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities from Metro Newspaper | Metro.co.uk. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.metro.co.uk/news/110616-a-house-made-of-metros>.

·         Paper House Rockport Massachusetts | Rockport MA Attractions, Rockport, Massachusetts, Rockport Things To Do, Rockport Museums, The Paper House, Rockport, Massachusetts. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.paperhouserockport.com/index.html>.