20 Ridiculously Nifty Zombie Safe House Designs

Remember last year's Zombie Safe House Competition? For 2011, the contest's popularity absolutely exploded, and competition holders Architects Southwest received dozens of zany anti-undead fortresses, ranging from silos to stilted houses to the Eiffel Tower to the Acropolis.

Not all of the designers are credited on the contest's main page (where you can find dozens more of these shambler evasion structures), but we've noted creators as they were listed. Hat tip to Precious Roy!

First Prize: Austin Fleming's "Vagabond" portable zombie shelter

First Prize: Austin Fleming's "Vagabond" portable zombie shelter

Second Prize: PinkCloud.DK's "Oil Silo Home." Here's the small text:

OIL SILO HOME
=============
INDEPENDENT ECOSYSTEM

SELF-SUPPORTING
One Oil Silo Home can comfortably house 1-2 families (4-8 humans). Silo families can maintain their own sustainable home through a 100% self-sufficient living solution. Families operate the numerous mechanisms in the silo with self-generated kinetic energy, thereby achieving strong physical health. By farming delicious protein-rich food, families can infinitely subsist in their Oil Silo Homes.

PASSIVE DEFENSE
Oil Silo Homes provide a passive defensive strategy, thereby minimizing weaponry requirements and eliminating hostile direct combat. Oil Silo Homes utilize 3 crucial zombie weaknesses: unintelligence, physical weakness, and lack of agility. Ghouls cannot climb or penetrate the spherical geometry of a lofty silo, thereby restricting weapon usage to rare critical scenarios.

SOLID STRUCTURE
Constructed of fireproof high-impact steel, oil silos are virtually indestructible fortresses. While the bottom half of the oil silo is completely sealed off from zombie threats on the ground, the top half provides a pleasant open-air environment, comprising plentiful windows, photovoltaic solar cells, and greenhouse.

WHAT IS AN OIL SILO HOME?

52000 OIL SILOS WORLDWIDE

AN OIL SILO, OR LPG VESSEL, IS A STORAGE CONTAINER FOR COMPRESSED LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS. NATURAL GAS IS BECOMING SCARCE AND OIL SILOS ARE NOW BECOMING ABANDONED AS STORAGE CONTAINERS. AS THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE APPROACHES, EMPTY OIL SILOS CAN PROVIDE 100% SELF-SUFFICIENT HOUSING AND TOTAL GHOUL PROTECTION!

DISASTER-PROOF

Flood/ Water Proof
An inherently Water-tight container firmly grounded by suspension structure

Hurricane/ Tornado Ready
Aerodynamic Shell + Reduction of uplift due to uniform pressures and airflow

Sand/ Blizzard Proof
Geometry prevents accumulation of sand and snow, reducing structural stresses

Earthquake Tolerance
Structural legs provide flexible suspension as well as rigidity to overall design

UFO Abduction Proof
Geometry makes alien abduction attempts extremely difficult

INDEPENDENT ECOSYSTEM

ENERGY

01 WIND ENERGY
One windmill fan is installed at the apex of the silo. Three additional fans located in the kitchen, greenhouse, and soil composting area capture energy from rising hot air.

02 BIKE ENERGY
A pedal power station generates kinetic energy through human exercise. In turn, the exerciser in- creases his/her muscle mass and overall health, thereby maximizing agility and lifespan.

03 SOLAR ENERGY
Photovoltaic panels are in- stalled between all upper window panels to collect solar energy. Solar energy is also utilized to heat shower and kitchen sink water.

04 WATER HEATER
This mechanism uses solar heat to increase water temperature. As water runs through a pipeline of glass tubing, it is directly ex- posed to sunlight, thereby increasing its temperature.

DEFENSE

05 CORE
The core is utilized to channel energy, water, organic waste, and methane gas through an infrastructure network of pipes and belts. The bottom of the core recycles organic waste into rich compost soil for farming

06 FLAMETHROWER
In case of critical emergency, a rotating methane flamethrower is useful for eliminating zombie threats. The flamethrower is can also dispose of all zombie bodies and toxic emissions
in the vicinity.

07 METHANE GAS
Sustainable energy for the flamethrower is generated by incinerating solid human excrement, converting the toxic waste into pure methane fuel for defensive applications.

08 ACCESS
A retractable titanium ladder installed along the silo's horizontal circumference can be utilized by families when the zombie apocalypse comes to an end.

FOOD + WATER

09 GREENHOUSE
A vegetable garden containing protein-rich crops (soy, oats, wheat) generates nutritious food for consumption. While purifying oxygen, the greenhouse also provides a recreational chill-out atmosphere.

10 SILKWORMS
The greenhouse also supports a silkworm farm for silk and protein production. Silkworms morph into butterflies, establishing a whimsical, meditative ambiance. (Optional hemp plantation for fabric and psychological pleasure.)

11 CO2>O2
The greenhouse plants convert carbon dioxide into pure oxygen, thereby purifying the air inside the Oil Silo Home. Air purification benefits the inhabitants' physical health and psychological stability.

12 GREYWATER
2 rainwater collectors provide fresh water for the kitchen and the hand-crank shower. Grey water is recycled for greenhouse irrigation and toilet water.

Runner-Up: Christina Geros and Matt Jordan's "Post-Apocalyptic Pritzker"

Honorable Mention: The Ark-Class Interstate Sweeper

Honorable Mention: "Zombie Steam House"

Honorable Mention: Zombie Termite Colony

Honorable Mention: "Dam City"

Honorable Mention: The "Ze-Rad" zombie walker

The "X-Leveler"

A zombie monorail

Safe House Community

"Zombie Safe House"

"The Zombie Treehouse"

"The Hidden Jewel"

"The Centipede"

"The Water Tower"

This safe house makes use of an existing urban fortress – the water tower. With thick, smooth concrete walls and almost no openings, the water tower is ideal for holding off the undead indefinitely. With modest alterations this safe house is designed to withstand a class 3 zombie outbreak, housing up to 6 survivors long-term in a self sufficient stronghold.

The water tower is located on the outskirts of suburbia, where zombie numbers are likely to be lower. The existing tower is at the top of a steep hill, cleared of vegetation all around and surrounded by a 10ft chain link fence providing a secure outer perimeter. Importantly there are no external signs of the safe house within the water tower. This will reduce the chance of zombies (or other desperate survivors) seeing the occupants and trying to get in!

When inevitably the safe house is discovered, there are multiple defensive zones to give secondary defensive positions. In the desperate event where the zombies could be not be held back and a full breech occurs there is a final emergency escape – hang gliding off the roof to safety. Supply and equipment packs kept at the top of the tower allow a rapid and prepared get-away, flying across the valley to relative safety.

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ROOF TERRACE: Garden / Escape Platform
Roof garden for growing fruit and vegetables. Outdoor exercise and relaxation area. Escape platform for hang-gliders. Walled on all sides so hidden from view.

PLAN 6: Water supply / Technical Equipment
Fresh rainwater is collected from the curved roof and held in the original tank after filtering. Hot water supplied from solar tubes. Electricity from solar cells stored in battery bank. Backup diesel generator in sound proofed room. Emergency escape packs on exit path to roof.

PLAN 5: Armoury / Comms / Workshop
Communications room to contact other survivors. Armoury of weapons to fight the undead and workshop to prepare equipment. Sound proofed to keep workshop noise quiet.

PLAN 4: Gym / Training / Lookout
Main activity level where occupants can keep a 360° lookout around the water tower and do daily physical / combat training.

PLAN 3: Kitchen / Living Level
Kitchen and relaxation area for all 6 occupants. Large food supply storage area.

PLAN 2: Sleeping / Bathroom Level
Sleeping quarters for all 6 occupants. Sound insulated to block out the constant moaning of the undead. Steel manhole hatch isolating from plan 2 below.

PLAN 1: Security Air-lock Level
Steel manhole hatch isolating from entrance level below. Retractable ladder access to plan 2.

PLAN E: Secure Entrance Level
Old water control station with no visual signs of safe house above. Retractable ladder access to plan 1.

COVERT TUNNEL: Main Access
New tunnel for access in and out of tower. Steel isolation door halfway in case of breech. Tunnel exit with steel hatch complete with lookout periscope.

Zombie Sphere

Eiffel Wind Tower

The Archipunks' Acropolis base

The Red Sands fortress