Energy generated by nuclear fusion of the Sun reaches the surface of the Earth in 8 minutes and 20 seconds.
 
8 Minutes, 20 Seconds by Michael Bell and Eunjeong Seong envisions an innovative architectural design centered around renewable energy sources that utilize and cache forms of energy which are essentially inexhaustible, persistent, and virtually limitless in quantity. This forward-thinking proposal anticipates a transformative post-scarcity era that is enabled and restructured by a groundbreaking new type of housing that functions as a vital arbiter of environmentally sustainable human settlements, integrating advanced technological efficiencies and sustainable practices.
 
In proposing this progressive new form of housing, which can only be realized through advanced manufacturing technologies and innovative materials, we pose the thought-provoking question: "What if the concept of what has traditionally been viewed as a housing asset transforms into an entirely new category of energy asset, whose downstream by-product is the fundamental necessity of providing adequate shelter for all individuals, ensuring equitable access to living spaces?"
 
Publisher: ACTAR: Barcelona and New York, 2025
Editor: Ramon Prat
Text Editor: Stephen Zacks
Design: Ramon Prat and Eunjeong Seong / Michael Bell 
 
Includes design projects by Michael Bell and Eunjeong Seong with contributions by Michael Pilliod, (formerly, Tesla and Apple materials science) / Wills Sweney (formerly, Tesla, supply chain and manufacturing) / Zak Kostura, ARUP / Jesse Keenan, climate and real estate and Rosanne Haggerty, Community Solutions.