Uptothistimewehavebeenaccustomedtoseetheerectionofahousebegunatthefoundationandbuiltupslowly，piecebypiece，ofsolidmaterials：firsttheouterframe，thenthefloorsandinnerwalls，followedbythestairways，andsoonuptotheputtingonoftheroof。Hence，itrequiresacompleterearrangementofmentalconceptionstoappreciateEdison\'sproposaltobuildahouseFROMTHETOPDOWNWARD，inafewhours，withafreelyflowingmaterialpouredintomolds，andinafewdaystotakeawaythemoldsandfindacompleteindestructiblesanitaryhouse，includingfoundation，frame，floors，walls，stairways，chimneys，sanitaryarrangements，androof，withartisticornamentationinsideandout，allinonesolidpiece，asifitweregravenorboredoutofarock。
Tobringabouttheaccomplishmentofaprojectsoextraordinarilybroadinvolvesengineeringandmechanicalconceptionsofahighorder，and，aswehaveseen，thesehavebeenbroughttobearonthesubjectbyEdison，togetherwithanintimateknowledgeofcompoundedmaterials。
Themainfeaturesofthisinventionareeasilycomprehensiblewiththeaidofthefollowingdiagrammaticsectionalsketch：
Itshouldbefirstunderstoodthattheabovesketchisinbroadoutline，withoutelaboration，merelytoillustratetheworkingprinciple；andwhiletheuprightstructureontherightisintendedtorepresentasetofmoldsinpositiontoformathree-storyhouse，withcellar，noregulardetailsofsuchabuildingsuchaswindows，doors，stairways，etc。arehereshown，astheywouldonlytendtocomplicateanexplanation。
Itwillbenotedthattherearereallytwosetsofmolds，aninsideandanoutsideset，leavingaspacebetweenthemthroughout。Althoughnotshowninthesketch，thereisinpracticeanumberofboltspassingthroughthesetwosetsofmoldsatvariousplacestoholdthemtogetherintheirrelativepositions。Intheopenspacebetweenthemoldsthereareplacedsteelrodsforthepurposeofreinforcement；