These solar-powered sleeping pods were designed to provide homeless people shelter in winter!

There are an estimated 860,000 homeless people in Germany and it is a well-known fact that the winter there is brutal! No one should be suffering out in the cold and to help the circumstances, a German-based team of designers and developers called Ulmer Nest have created sleeping pods that are windproof + waterproof. These pods are to be installed across the German city of Ulm to provide the homeless with emergency shelter at night. What started as a local project is now getting attention from all over the world so that it can be scaled and replicated.

The sleeping pods are called Ulmer Nest and provide a safe, warm place to sleep in winter. The interdisciplinary design team did intensive research to get accurate insight and sentiment analysis about the audience who will be using the pod. They found that many people can’t stay in dedicated homeless shelters for various reasons like them not wanting to be separated from their dog or the fear of crime and violence. Keeping this in mind they worked on the first two Ulmer Nest prototypes.

These capsules are crafted from timber and steel which are resilient and protect against harsh weather. Ulmer Nest pods are fitted with solar panels and a set of sensors that monitor temperature, humidity, smoke, and carbon dioxide levels. It also has a heat exchanger to supply fresh air and maintain circulation. Motion sensors also replace the need for cameras while protecting privacy but also making sure that social workers can be alerted in case the situation demands it because overnight stays are not allowed. Two people can sleep in the pod at a time and take cover from rain, frost, and humidity. It is also connected to a radio network so the person using the pod can get in touch with the team managing it if needed. Ulmer volunteers clean the pod each day to make sure hygiene is maintained and also why powder-coated metal was used in the design to make it easy-to-clean. These pods take safety seriously and are protected against fire, it includes an electronic verification system that enables the person to lock it from inside.

Ulm saw its very first sleeping pods in the winter of 2020. Given how that year changed things, the design has been upgraded and testing continues to make sure it is efficient and reliable. Ulmer Nest is the last resort option for those who cannot find shelter anywhere else.

Designers: Patrick Kaczmarek, Florian Geiselhart, Falko Pross, Manuel Schall, Dirk Bayer, and Kathrin Uhlig.

The 737 Max skyscraper vertically stacks Boeing’s planes to turn them into residential complexes

“An airplane is a building that flies – so why not use it as a building material?”

Designed as an entrant for the 2020 eVolo Skyscraper Competition, the 737 Max Tower turns one of the world’s most controversial aircrafts of modern times into housing. The Boeing 737 Max made headlines after its launch in 2016, when it was revealed that the aircraft’s own internal software was causing the plane to malfunction and take nosedive. This malfunction caused two 737 Max planes to fatally crash with passengers on board, throwing the entire line of planes into question. Just as Boeing was rectifying this issue and placating the countries and airlines that had placed orders, the novel coronavirus outbreak completely halted air travel. Needless to say, the company saw a mass cancellation of orders, forcing Boeing to entirely suspend production of the 737 Max.

“What about the planes that have already been made though?”, thought designers Victor Hugo Azevedo and Cheryl Lu Xu, who’s entry into this year’s Evolo Skyscraper Competition got them an honorable mention. The 737 Max Skyscraper leverages the architectural potential of an aircraft, converting it into a series of budget residences for the homeless. The aircrafts are stacked vertically, and trimmed to form the basic shape of a literal Jenga-tower of airplanes. The fuselages are structurally sound, waterproof, and relatively sound-proof to, making them pretty suitable for living, and providing shelter for the thousands of homeless people around Los Angeles. Way to solve the homelessness problem and the surplus discontinued aircraft problem with one stone, eh!? While you’re at it, use their jet engines to power the building’s HVAC too!

Designers: Victor Hugo Azevedo & Cheryl Lu Xu.

Zillow’s new search tool helps find housing for those in need

Escaping homelessness is an enormous undertaking, not least because so many landlords and property managers have strict criteria for new tenants. Those that have been homeless are often unable to provide rental histories or sizeable deposits, for exa...

Cruel Google Maps trick marked livestreamer’s mansion as a homeless shelter

While most pranks that originate from YouTube are terrible, a recent one targeted at homeless people in Los Angeles was particularly abhorrent and cruel. According to the Los Angeles Daily News, a group of online pranksters connected with popular You...

Robots Are Now Pretending to Be Homeless

It’s always good to be nice to those who are less fortunate than you. If you see a homeless person on the street, consider helping them out. Just beware, it could be a robot in disguise. Like this guy.

homeless_robot_1zoom in


It’s name is Dirk. His movements look realistic, and that is largely because we’re used to seeing homeless people who are sick or injured slowly shuffling along the street. Dirk isn’t autonomous though. Its creator, Fred Ables of Electric Circus, hides nearby, among the crowd and controls the robot. In this way, the robot can realistically interact with people. When someone gives him money, he will even play an organ. Maybe tug at your heartstrings.

Even the homeless aren’t safe from our robot overlords.

[Make: via Gizmodo]

Robots Are Now Pretending to Be Homeless

It’s always good to be nice to those who are less fortunate than you. If you see a homeless person on the street, consider helping them out. Just beware, it could be a robot in disguise. Like this guy.

homeless_robot_1zoom in


It’s name is Dirk. His movements look realistic, and that is largely because we’re used to seeing homeless people who are sick or injured slowly shuffling along the street. Dirk isn’t autonomous though. Its creator, Fred Ables of Electric Circus, hides nearby, among the crowd and controls the robot. In this way, the robot can realistically interact with people. When someone gives him money, he will even play an organ. Maybe tug at your heartstrings.

Even the homeless aren’t safe from our robot overlords.

[Make: via Gizmodo]