By David Ingram

Auburn University's Rural Studio undergraduate program has created this special low-cost concept home specially designed for the rural poor.The '20K Project' is a program to create a dwelling for under $20,000. The homes are designed for individuals on Social Security and offer a comfortable living space in a realistic price range. Each 500 square foot concept home features a corrugated metal exterior covering a wooden timber frame. The entire structure is perched on an elevated pier platform, which is cleverly designed to reduce utility costs through a passive heating and cooling system, depending on the season.