The name of Albang, which means “egg room”, pretty much says it all. These lightweight yet tough living spaces mimic the character of an egg – without being shatter-prone. Designed in 2014 by South Korea’s Yoon Space Design studio, the pod was produced to be the ‘green’ vacation accommodation of tomorrow. It is a compact, middle way alternative to conventional hotel life and outdoor camping.
The Albang is exceedingly light and can be lifted and reconfigured with other units. It leaves a minimal footprint on the ground. Its designers attempted to squeeze as much functionality into the oval space without making the overall structure cumbersome.
The chief material used to create the pod is expanded polystyrene, which is a durable, closed-cell kind of foam. The pod is handmade and adopts virtuous qualities: it is waterproof, well insulated and lightweight. The shape of the Albang is aerodynamic and quite protective during a tectonic event (as South Korea is privy to seismic tremors).
Each Albang pod has a colourful hydraulic door which is punctuated by dual porthole windows on either side. This, in tandem with its naturally white tone, gives the egg room a sleek and futuristic look, especially when arranged alongside other pods. The interior space is approximately two square meters in total, offering enough space for an average adult couple to sleep inside comfortably, but not enough verticle volume to stand up properly.
The designers at Yoon Space have secured a patent for their Albang design and aim to expand its use internationally. Currently, they can be found in Osan Beach, Seoul, but the company wants to further distribution to more exotic shores as the Albang pod is hardy enough for most holiday landscapes.
