Meet the Man Who Built an Aluminum House in his Spare Time

2017-02-09T19:18:49+00:00February 9th, 2017|

Many of us use aluminum every day to preserve our food, insulate our homes, and even travel to and from work. However, mid-century architect Ed Westall has us all beat; in the 1950s he built a beautiful family home entirely out of aluminum! The showpiece stands as a testament to the mid-century modern aesthetic as well as the triumph of human imagination – and the adaptability of aluminum alloys. Of course, we here at Taber are a bit biased in our opinions of aluminum, but we find Westall’s story to be as inspiring as it is illuminating (or shall we say, a-luminating!)

While working as an engineer in the 1940s and 50s, Ed Westall was searching for something more. Something to give his life purpose, and hopefully enrich the lives of others around him. It was post-war America; the economy was booming, and more and more families were looking to upgrade their homes and move out of the cities. Westall wanted to come up with an efficient and affordable way to provide as many homes as possible to as many families as possible. He came up with the idea of an aluminum house due to the availability of the material after the war. His prototype was decidedly Space Age, with many rounded corners and domes, all shining with reflective aluminum siding. His contemporaries marveled at the efficient use of space inside the home, even as they puzzled as to whether the innovative design would catch on.

Ultimately aluminum homes did not become the standard of the future as Westall had hoped, although the material has many applications in modern homes and homebuilding today. We can still take inspiration from his courage and desire to help families around the country. At Taber Extrusions, we are always looking for new ways to inspire our communities around us by creating custom shapes for almost any application. Call us today at (888) 984-1659 to see what aluminum could build for your future!

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