The First Tornado-Proof House Will Be Built In A Tiny Kansas Town

The first prototype of the tornado-proof house will be built in Utica, Kansas, a very small town roughly 200 miles west of Wichita.

Earlier this month, we wrote about this design which involves the house lowering into the ground when a storm is approaching.

The project is being constructed by Hong-Kong architecture firm 10 Design, and lead designer Ted Givens.

The latest prototype is a 900-square-foot home with a frame made of concrete and glass inserts, Givens said.

You can see most recent pictures of the design below, and read more about the design here.

Four hydraulic lifts are located at each corner of the house. These raise and lower the house to protect homeowners from a destructive tornado.

The roof must be heavily reinforced, but the walls could be anything you want, even all glass, says Givens.

In this bird's-eye view, there is a small courtyard in the center of the home to collect rain water and bring in light when the house is collapsed.