Lift House proposes movable architecture for climate resilience
Lift House by Ulf Mejergren Architects (UMA) is a compact gabled timber house refuge mounted on a mobile scissor lift. Designed for the exhibition Beredd (Ready) at ArkDes – The Swedish Center for Architecture and Design – the project explores architecture’s capacity to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
The installation responds to increasing climate instability, including more frequent rainfall and flooding, by proposing a structure that can temporarily rise above the ground when necessary. The concept engages with research from Linköping University, which outlines three primary strategies for managing environmental risk: protection, adaptation, and retreat. Lift House suggests a fourth option, temporary retreat, introducing mobility and flexibility as means of resilience.
all images by Oskar Omne unless stated otherwise
Industrial mechanics meet vernacular form in UMA’s Lift House
Constructed from a repurposed scissor lift originally used by ArkDes, the project integrates themes of reuse and resource efficiency. The lift mechanism and supporting frame were retained and coated in traditional Swedish red paint, forming the base for a small timber structure. The upper house features wooden panel cladding, a gabled roof, and a simplified chimney fabricated from CNC-cut MDF. The combination of industrial mechanics and vernacular form establishes a dialogue between technical function and domestic familiarity.
Ulf Mejergren Architects (UMA) studio prioritizes material efficiency throughout the design process. With a lift capacity limited to 227 kilograms, each component, from structure to decorative details, was carefully calculated and adjusted to maintain balance and stability. Lace curtains and minimal interior elements evoke a sense of domesticity while emphasizing lightness and precision. Lift House operates as a functional prototype as well as a conceptual proposal. It reflects on the relationship between architecture, mobility, and environmental change, suggesting how small-scale, adaptable structures can offer temporary safety and autonomy in uncertain conditions.
Lift House by Ulf Mejergren Architects is a compact refuge mounted on a mobile scissor lift
the project was created for the exhibition Beredd (Ready) at ArkDes in Stockholm
the house can be elevated above ground level during extreme weather events
Lift House acts as a conversation piece during climate debates at ArkDes | image by Sima Korenivski
the concept introduces ‘temporary retreat’ as a new form of climate resilience | image by Sima Korenivski
the timber upper house features panel cladding, a gabled roof, and a simplified chimney | image by Sima Korenivski
lace curtains and minimal furnishings introduce a domestic quality
project info:
name: Lift House (Hisshus)
architects: Ulf Mejergren Architects (UMA) | @ulfmejergrenarchitects
curators: Kris Johnson-Jones, Olle Lundin, ArkDes
exhibition producer: Carl-Oskar Linné
production team: Hangmen Studio – Kelvin Douglas, Oscar Persson Lidgren
climate research: Sofie Storbjörk, Associate Professor at Linköping University
photographers: Oskar Omne | @oskaromne, Sima Korenivski
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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