Your Future Home

[Dages]

I'm going to copy/paste the article from this blog from a JW (the author of "All Things New" and "Unrighteous") because it's really something I have been thinking about recently. And it's always nice, faith-strengthening, to meditate about Paradise.

 

http://www.ekjonathan.blogspot.jp/2016/03/your-future-home.html

 

In the New World, what kind of house will you live in?

This has always been an interesting question for me to ponder, and for a variety of reasons. First, as someone who appreciates design and architecture, I often wonder how our homes will look on the other side of Armageddon. It’s likely, I suppose, that in the beginning we’ll build homes with standardized designs. This will make things somewhat more efficient. (It’s also possible that we’ll use modular construction methods, similar to what we’re seeing with recent branch and Kingdom Hall construction.) But as times moves onward, I’d expect to see more creative and innovative home and structural designs.

Secondly, I often wonder about what methods and materials we’ll use to build our homes. In preparation for writing All Things New, one of the research topics that I really delved into was eco-friendly architecture and construction methods. There are some really amazing things being developed these days, and I suspect that some of them may carry on into the future. I thought I’d write about them here in a post, and share some of the images that I think could be glimpses into our future homes.

Bioconcrete
Concrete is the world’s most popular building material, and for good reason. It can be made easily, formed into all sorts of imaginative shapes, and, if maintained properly, can last for decades. But even concrete is no match for the natural elements. Eventually, with enough exposure to moisture, cracks will form along its surfaces, leading to corrosion.

Henk Jonkers, a microbiologist of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, believes he may have a solution to this problem–bioconcrete.
 

Bioconcrete is mixed just like regular concrete, but contains an extra ingredient, a special bacteria. The bacteria lies dormant in the dried concrete structure until cracks form over time, exposing the inside of the concrete to water, which breaks open biodegradable plastic capsules containing calcium lactate, the “food” that the bacteria needs to feed on. As the bacteria germinates, it feeds on the lactate, combines with the calcium, and forms limestone, binding the concrete back together.

So, theoretically, we could use bioconcrete or something like it to create structures requiring little maintenance that could last for centuries. Cool, huh?

Solar Paths & Roads
We’ve drilled the Earth for gases, oils, and minerals, much of it in the name of satisfying our need for energy. The result, as we all know, has been untold harm to ourselves and the Earth itself. We’ll need to find a solution to this problem, and it might be solar power. It’s free, clean, and available practically everywhere. The problem, however, has always been surface area.

The reason we don’t see things like solar cars, motorcycles, and planes at the consumer level is that the amount of space needed to soak up enough energy from the sun’s rays is usually much larger than the thing needing to be powered. (As an example, Solar Impulse 2, the plane that recently embarked on a trans-continental flight relying solely on its solar-chargeable batteries for power, had to be designed with a wingspan of 236 feet to accommodate the unwieldy solar panels, and it can only carry a single pilot. By contrast, an Airbus A380, which relies on jet fuel, has about the same wingspan, but flies six times faster and can carry about 500 people.)
 

Of course, I’d imagine that with time, solar panels will become smaller, more efficient, and easier to produce. But one interesting solution we may see in the New World are solar paths and roadways. Instead of climbing onto our grooves to install solar panels, the panels would be on the ground. Potentially, we could build a house anywhere along the roadway and “plug in”. Voila! Instant, free energy. Other benefits? Imagine roads with built-in LEDs, which would light up when you walked along them at night, or sensors built into the panels to give warning signals regarding road dangers up ahead. A cool idea indeed.

The only problem? With current technology, manufacturing solar panels requires toxic chemicals and other polluting factors.


Organically-Shaped Pipes
A tremendous amount of electricity is spent on water pumps. Pumps must work especially hard getting water to travel up to the top floors of high-rise apartment buildings, but the energy is wasted in other ways, too. One of those has to do with the current design of pipes.


Computers and machines tend to favor straight lines. Mathematically, they are easier to work with and produce. As a result, the machines we build are often based on boxes and rectangles. However, in actual physical application, things with curves tend to perform much better. (Think aero/hydrodynamics) As time goes on, many of the physical things we use (cars, airplanes, and even clothing), have begun to take on more organic, natural shapes. But other things are still stuck in the rigid ways of harsh angles and straight lines. Pipes are an example of this.


At first glance, this may not seem like much of a problem. After all, pipes turning at right angles make things much easier for architects and manufacturers (again, the math is simpler this way). However, much energy is lost as the water is forced to turn at sharp angles. This also puts extra strain on the pipes themselves.

By contrast, the branches and stems of trees never grow at right angles. The degree is much slighter, which maximizes the efficiency of the energy spent in getting the water to move. This is a engineering element that I hope to see eventually implemented in our New World pipes.

Harmonious Architecture
This one deals less with the technical aspects of building and more with its aesthetics. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with one of the project overseers at Warwick, who offered all sorts of insights into the building processes being used there. There were lots of amazing details, but one that really stood out to me was the decision made to build much of the furniture used in the Bethel apartments from the lumber cleared from the original site.

How smart is that? Instead of selling the trees to some lumber company and having them hauled off, why not turn it into something useful on-site? It only makes sense that this is how we’ll build in the New World, as well. Less waste, with much focus made on reuse and recycling.

I would imagine, too, that this will eventually be reflected in the architecture itself. Homes will complement their environments in terms of materials used, colors, and styles. It’s an exciting thing to think about, and for me, makes the New World that much more real. Check out the images below for some neat examples of what future architecture may look like…
 

 

 

 

 

 

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So, how do you picture your future home in Paradise ? Feel free to put "pictures" of actual design.

 

I personally really love the design of the house of this article : http://la.curbed.com/2014/12/19/10010098/why-dick-clark-built-a-spoton-flintstones-house-in-malibu

[harmania]

This would not be my main house, but place where I could watch stars, northern lights and shooting stars while laying on the bed (:

[hatcheckgirl]

Really cool topic David!  A while ago, our family study consisted of my daughter, my sister and I skyping each other our ideal homes in the paradise, complete with pets, furniture, gardens and people who have been resurrected.  It was so fascinating to see the stunning types of architecture already available that we may be using then.

 

Here is a simple afternoon relaxing place in my future backyard:

 

 

[harmania]

Looks little like bird nest, very nice.  But my question is how can u get in without getting wet . Maybe it's possible to jump there from shore, and aim for that hole?

[Pavlos]

This is mine:

[Dages]

I think I will "like" all the comments in this topic ^^

 

[James the Less]

56 minutes ago, ouzo said:

This is mine:

 

As soon as I read the topic, I thought, 'I bet Fallingwater will come up in this thread'  I love this house design as well. It has been shaped to fit in with the natural surroundings, and certainly that will be a key element of house design in the new world.

 

One particular design feature I really like are 'green roofs.' I was so happy to see this incorporated into the design of the new world headquarters, as seen below. It is both an efficient use of space and environmentally friendly. I hope it incorporate this design element into my Paradise home

So glad you started this topic Brother David! I am currently doing a vocational course in residential drafting (house design), so this is a really timely topic for me. And keep posting your ideas brothers and sisters, I might be able to borrow some of your thoughts in my projects later this year 

[boodles]

I've always thought I'd like to have an adobe/hacienda house. Thick walls that keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. That will go nicely with my horses and the nearby vineyard!

[Friends just call me Ross]

1 hour ago, boodles said:

I've always thought I'd like to have an adobe/hacienda house. Thick walls that keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. That will go nicely with my horses and the nearby vineyard!

Sounds nice.  Two-story?

 

Or single?

[Friends just call me Ross]

I have always loved 'rustic'.  Perhaps a log cabin with lots of windows, a loft and a wrap-around deck?

 

[Friends just call me Ross]

 

 

 

 

[Old]

Really like those houses.

Let's see.

How many billions of people in the New System?

How much arable land (including deserts?) how many water falls available?

How big will our mini-farms be?

What will be the practical house size? Will we have an alpine meadow for every one?

I like Jaime's green roof, makes a lot of sense.

Maybe we will have a several story apartment buildings  with a green roofs alongside a water fall.

Or a nice multifamily adobe dwellings on the Grand Canyon rim, green roof optional.

I like to dream about the New World, and in my dreams I too have a dream home big enough for my extended family, it has perfect view. I just now inserted a wrap around deck. The neighbors live down in the valley, just a mile or so away, Beside the lake below my our water fall. All is surrounded by meadows (pastures). Everyone will be welcome when we have a barbecue. (Please, no big cats, big cats do not use a litter box.)

Then I wake up. I find I do not need reality in a dream.  

What will reality be?

We do know that Jehovah will satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Maybe we won't desire as much.

[Qapla]

Straw bales is a good way to build eco-friendly, well insulated houses 

[cricket246]

My mom and I have decided to take turns choosing house designs/blueprints, since houses typically last 100 years, that's five house styles each lol (during the 1000 year reign )

This would be the first - a house with a wrap around India style porch and inner courtyard.

Edited March 21, 2016 by cricket246

[Tortuga]

I'll probably stay in my current house for a long time, it isn't very big or fancy but it will be paid for . It's close to the Assembly Hall and hopefully close to the factory I'll be assigned to work at so I don't have to commute very far.

[Dages]

 

this also

[Old]

Where is the snow capped peak?

[leoperales]

10 hours ago, Old said:

Where is the snow capped peak?

 

There won't be any.  "On the top of the mountains [grain] will overflow"  (Psalm 72:16)

[Cherie]

I wouldn't mind staying put for awhile either. Both of my children were born at this house so it has special significance to me.  

[Miss Bea]

I really like the house we live in. It is rural. No neighbors, two story, lots of Windows and interesting wood. My husband built a deck off the bedroom. He knows how precious fresh air is to me. I can sleep out there. It has the appearance of being small, but it is a three bedroom house, and two of the bedrooms, well, one, he is designing for me a study, and the other, he is trying to figure out how to get an Elipitical exercise machine out of there. Costco huge thing. I think he will build something for it eventually. Two bathrooms. A really nice big bedroom looking toward the mountains. Beautiful sunsets. 

He has done rock wall in the yard. If I want a flower bed, he will figure it out.

We have three dogs, and 4 doghouses, (the dog houses are top notch. And actually a part  of the house.  I imagine he will heat them one day) and two protected patios with dog beds in them. Cats have two kitty doors, a private door to the Atic, and a private exit on the front deck. 

Eventually, there will be a walk way from the second story to the area where our garden is. It s on a hill. For us.

Then a walk way for the cats to get to the red maple tree from the house. Just for them. 

We are country folk. This house tends to be cabin like. The bottom floor has a red oak floor that we put in. It will last for a bit, Jehovah willing. In the new system, I want to wait and see what my family arrangement will be. Big difference for one alone, and one with a spiritual head. This one is pretty well what my husband wants. He has built it, and has wonderful taste. I do have choices, but it is easy to defer to him. 

Ah, but how many houses will we live through? Actually countless. And, as our brains improve...For a while, I see us living minimal. Then as families grow, and ones are ressurrected, we won't have mother-in-law houses, but, welcome back homes for our loved ones until they get settled in and realize the reality of what they have been given. 

More then our little hearts can even imagine.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Miss Bea
Spelling

[Ross]

I can't wait to build a wooden cabin style house with my boys, imagine how skilled we will be after our millionth house. I think it would just be a case of building the house from memory every dimension and measurement will be in our head.   Then once it's finished we will plant the trees needed for its replacement in 200 years.

 

I love this video, imagine doing this with our dear brothers. 

 

 

[Precision]

On 3/21/2016 at 8:08 PM, Dages said:

 

this also

David if you ever have a chance to visit paradise in this old system this is it. Gros and Petit Pitons West Indies in St. Lucia. a protected World Heritage site. You can snorkle with Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles. (sorry Richard ) .  And  enjoy Caribbean cuisine at its finest.  Hiking the Pitons is not  an easy task, the beaches and the area are sublime idyllic.  

[Dages]

Yes, I saw that it's in St Lucia...

[Luezette]

Hmmm, well just go ahead and call me greedy, lol, because I want more than one home: 

1. A house on land.

2. A tree house.

3. A house boat.

 

Now, as for the house on land I'm a little partial towards a log cabin. 

As for the house boat, I'm  not talking of merely a yacht (though I think I did mention it one time) but rather a real house boat to live in. I saw a couple of them online and they were beautiful, one even boasting an under water garage! (though the garage wasn't shown).

As for the tree house, I grew up during the Tarzan/Jane era and let me tell you something. The tree houses I saw in architecture books were  a thousand times much better than Tarzan and Janes' tree house.  In the books some had stoves, etc. Simply amazing! Breathtaking actually.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Luezette

[New World Explorer]

I live Down Under and hope not to end up with house like this      LOL