He Built a House Using Flour and Newspapers, and It Is Still Standing 100 Years Later
Situated in the state of Massachusetts, United States, the town of Rockport hosts an extraordinary structure that breaks the architectural norms. The 'Paper House', constructed by Swedish mechanical engineer Elis F. Stenman beginning in 1922, defies both time and coastal weather conditions for a full century, despite being built using over 100,000 newspapers.
Engineer Stenman initiated the project with a traditional wooden framework.
His aim was to test the durability of newspaper, a material intended to be inexpensive and single-use.
Initially, Stenman planned to use the paper solely for insulation purposes. However, upon witnessing the unexpected hardness of the material when it was pressed and dried, he abandoned the idea of using it for exterior cladding. The engineer layered the papers together using a natural adhesive he prepared from flour, water, and apple peels, resulting in wall panels approximately 2.5 centimeters thick. Coating the structure with waterproof marine varnish provided protection against the harsh coastal climate of Cape Ann.
Not only the walls of the house, but also a large portion of the furniture inside were produced from compressed newspaper rolls.
Every detail, from the tables to the chairs, from the bookshelf to the clock on the wall, is like a time capsule from the 1920s and 30s. News about Charles Lindbergh's legendary flight to Paris in 1927 is displayed on the writing desk, while the large wall clock is covered with newspapers from the 48 states of the period.
In the house, the curtains are woven from magazine covers; only the fireplace remains traditional in brick, and the piano, its wooden body covered in newspaper, has been left ready for use.
Even while still under construction, the building managed to attract the attention of enthusiasts. Since the mid-20th century, it has been serving as a museum.
Still owned by the Stenman family, the Paper House may appear as a humble summer house from the outside, but it offers visitors the unique opportunity to read news from a century ago, hidden beneath layers of varnish, once they step inside.
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