Robert Downey Jr.’s Binishell in Malibu. Courtesy of Nicolo Bini.
Binishells are a fast-made construction made by inflating a gigantic neoprene bladder then covering this balloon in a thin coat of reinforced spray-on concrete. The technique developed in the 60s by an Italian architect could be a great solution to urban and rural housing in southern United States and Mediterranean regions.
Concrete isn’t considered an environmental material (see the problem with concrete mining here) but perhaps the technique of creating a sort of paper mache with concrete sprayed on an inflatable surface could have applications in vernacular building thinking and the use of more natural materials.
Binishell clay model
How Binishells are created: architect Nicoló Bini starts with a two-dimensional shape on the ground, then adds wooden a form around an air bladder and reinforced steel rebar, and then places concrete that sets and slowly rises from the ground.
Some installations of this technique can cost only $3500 for a tiny home, posing a solution to a housing crisis.
A Binishell rendering. Courtesy of Nicolo Bini.
The Italian-born, Australia-raised Bini started doing high-end work for Usher and Cara Delevingne but then grabbed onto an idea started by his Italian father which is now seen in seaside celebrity retreat or in disaster-area shelters that he has suggested for Pakistan and Ukraine and to protect Bedouin desert dwellers.
Binishell homes for $3500
His father Dante Bini built some 1,600 Binishells globally making him the most prolific dome builder in the world. It’s a mode of building that sits well with Middle East and western sensibilities.
Among his projects are a cave-like bungalow in Malibu, custom-built for Robert Downey Jr. and his wife.
Binishell Robert Downey Junior home in Malibu
Fit for a Hobbit or the Jetsons or the Flintstones, this home was built with spray-on concrete and with advances in 3D printing we assume these structures could be built more quickly and safely using AI and current modeling software.
Nicolo Bini and his father, Dante Bini, at the Binishell school in Narrabeen, Australia. Courtesy of Nicolo Bini.
If you look to nature it’s not easy finding squares and sharp angles. Nature loves curves and shells for protection and for homes.
Binishells can be quickly erected with locally sourced materials and a minimum of specialized tools. Darin Olien, the wellness guru and producer/co-star (with Zac Efron) of the Netflix series Down to Earth is also planning on purchasing a Binishell home which will go further than the Downey home; it will operate off the grid.
A Binishell rendering for Darin Olien. Courtesy of Nicolo Bini.
Celebrities have the resources and money to try experimental buildings as they often have multiple homes and go for showstoppers for wowing the world. But Binishells, if made with earthen materials could give livable and loveable homes as envisioned by architects like Hassan Fathy.
Given that concrete does not do well in extreme cold climates like Canada where freezing and thawing in rapid succession would crack the concrete, this could be a good alternative in Mediterranean cities. Better yet, build the homes with surfaces so at the end of life the concrete can be thrown into the sea for coral reef restoration.
