Unique Homes: Paper House

When it comes to unique homes built from unusual materials, you typically envision  strong industrial building blocks such as shipping containers or old buses renovated into mobile tiny homes. Softer mediums don’t come to thought, as by definition you wouldn’t expect them to have any support or structural integrity. It may surprise you to learn that there are a handful of homes all over the world built from everyday products. One home in Rockport Massachusetts, built in 1922, is made of old newspapers!

The original owner and mastermind behind the construction of the home, Elis F. Stenman, was an engineer that designed the machines that make paper clips. He had a fascination with paper, and what started as a hobby came to full fruition with the building of this summer home. The framework for the home is made of standard wood, along with the floor and roof. The newspaper came into play when it came to create the exterior and interior walls and insulation. Stenman layered print upon print, pressing these sheet stacks together to create inch thick walls. He used a homemade glue using flour, apple seeds, and water and sealed it in with a varnish finish. This method actually helped waterproof the property sufficiently over the years.

The passion project didn’t just end there though, as he continued on to fashion intricate furniture inside of the home. Aside from a large piano only covered in paper rather than construction, all of the livable pieces were assembled entirely by rolled up paper logs individually cut, glued and nailed together. Though some of the varnish has worn off, the majority of the structure and furnishings have stood up against time and are still on display today for tourist admissions.