2010 Zombie Apocalypse Safe House Competition

As a professional working in the Architecture field, I totally <3 this!

The 2010 Zombie Apocalypse Safe House Competition "posed the task to designers to find solutions to the the very real threat of having to defend yourself against hoards of brain hungry zombies as the end of mankind grows near." [via archdaily]

The 2010 Zombie Apocalypse Safe House Competition, sponsored by Architects Southwest, provided entrants with several issues to address in their design:

Program Issues to Address:

1. How many people can you fit in your safe house?

2. How are you handling power, potable water, and waste?

3. How are you handling access to your safe house?

4. How many days do you plan to stay in your safe house, and how much food and water are you providing?

5. How will you escape in the event of a zombie intrusion?

6. How will you keep zombies out of your safe house?

The budget was unlimited.

The winner was the SS Huckleberry project, which focused on the premise that the best defense against a horde of brain-eating zombies is to be *always* on the move. The solution: "live along the Mississippi river and have some of America's favorites sylines as your bedroom view". Yeah, that would certainly keep your mind from thinking too much about the end of human civilization, all right!

(click on image for a bigger view)

What I specially like about this concept, is that it even considered the problem of finding fuel for your post-apocalyptic floating caravan: with DIY Zombie Diesel (TM). Pretty innovative, though I kind of worry that those reptilian Illuminatis would steal this idea in order to solve the current energy crisis --I can almost see myself running around my local gas station, shouting at the cars waiting in line (in my best Charlton Heston impersonation, of course) "Soylent Lead-free is made out of people!!!!"

I do wonder, though: what exactly was the winning prize? A shotgun, or a chainsaw?