Ontario teen says he’ll live in ‘modular home’ invention for a year to prove it can end homelessness
Ribal Zebian, a 19-year-old engineering student from Ontario, Canada, is making headlines with his innovative approach to tackling homelessness. Zebian has designed a modular home made from fiberglass and PET foam, which he plans to live in for a year to prove its viability as a temporary solution for the housing crisis. His design emphasizes not only affordability and rapid assembly—potentially within a single day—but also aesthetic appeal, challenging the notion that affordable housing must be utilitarian and dull.
Zebian's project is a testament to youthful ingenuity and commitment to social change. By opting to live in the modular home through all four seasons, he aims to identify and address any design flaws, ensuring the homes are comfortable and functional. While he acknowledges that these homes are not a permanent fix for homelessness, he sees them as an important stopgap, providing shelter while broader systemic changes take place. His work underscores a proactive approach to societal challenges, inspiring others to think creatively and act decisively in addressing pressing issues.
Constructive analysis
The constructive-journalism lens: not just what happened, but what works.
- The problem
- The challenge of providing affordable and rapid housing solutions to the rising number of homeless individuals.
- The actions
- Zebian designed a modular home using innovative materials and committed to living in it to test its effectiveness.
- Evidence of progress
- His previous success with a wooden electric car and a significant scholarship shows his capability; his current project involves real-world testing over a year.
- What we can learn
- Others can learn the importance of combining technical innovation with social responsibility and the potential of prototypes to address real-world issues.
PERMA profile of this story
How this story scores across the PERMA dimensions.
- Positive Emotion
- 7
- Engagement
- 9
- Relationships
- 6
- Meaning
- 8
- Accomplishment
- 9
Character strengths in play
Top VIA strengths this story embodies.
Courage
Zebian plans to live in the modular home for a full year to test its viability, demonstrating a willingness to personally experience the challenges of his innovation.
Hope
He believes his modular homes could provide a temporary solution for the unhoused, offering shelter until more permanent solutions are implemented.
Curiosity
By using unconventional materials like fiberglass and PET foam, Zebian is exploring new possibilities in housing design.
Try this today
Consider a small-scale project in your community that could benefit from innovative thinking. Sketch out a simple plan and identify one action you can take this week to move it forward, inspired by Zebian's commitment to testing and improving his ideas.