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The world of prefab and modular homes. |
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| http://www.tinytexashouses.com/TTH%20Gallery.html |
The Economist recently covered small houses.
The Small House Movement has been around for years, encouraging people to think about how much house they really need. But lately it has attracted more attention. “It seems like a perfect convergence of a bad housing market meeting a bad economy and more awareness about global warming,” claims Jay Shafer, an enthusiastic advocate.
The article mentions 2 companies, both with prefab options:
Read the entire article.
Hat tip: Jetson Green on February 23, 2009.
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| http://www.openprototype.com/ |
We recently came across an interesting project called The OPEN Prototype Initiative (OPI). It is:
... developing a series of prototypical homes to test a new model for the design, fabrication and assembly of highly responsive places of living.
Founding partners:
More information is available on the OPI website:
We look forward to seeing more from this collaboration.
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| http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/1423604970/ |
Michelle Kaufmann just released a new book called "Prefab Green".
The book explains how MKD blends sustainable home layouts, eco-friendly materials, and low-energy options to create a “prepackaged” green solution to home design.
Listed at $30.00, the book is on sale at Amazon for $19.80.
See also: our page of prefab books.
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| http://www.taliesin.edu/pages/MODFAB.htm |
Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, posted pictures of their completed Mod.Fab.
[The] prototype residence relies on panelized construction to allow for speed and economy on site or in a factory
PrairieMod tracked their progress from start to finish.
Hat Tip: Jetson Green on February 13, 2009.
In the mail from Michelle Kaufmann Designs: If you were unable to see their mkSolaire on display, you now have a second chance.
We are so deeply pleased that the Museum of Science and Industry has decided to extend the Smart Home exhibit’s run through January 2010! Having closed on January 4th, the exhibit will reopen its doors on March 19th, ready to share even more new ways, big and small, that people can lead eco-friendly lives.
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| http://www.formandforestblog.com/ |
Jetson Green featured a new company called Form & Forest.
They will be launching on February 19, 2009 with a full set of flat pack prefab cabins designed by D'Arcy Jones Design.
The cabins are shipped flat as pre-assembled panels, and Form & Forest anticipates this will save time and waste in the construction process.
One of the first models (seen above):
The company's site is organized as a blog. You can also follow their progress on Twitter.
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| http://www.11xdesign.com/ |
If you find yourself in Portland, OR this weekend, you might want to check out this modern home tour.
11xDesign is a free open house of new buildings designed, financed and developed by eleven local architects and designers. The buildings are in different stages of completion.
Of particular interest to Prefabcosm readers, SIPS Residence (built from SIPs) by Seed Architecture Studio.
Hat Tip: Jetson Green on February 16, 2009.
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| http://www.good.is/?p=15017 |
GOOD Magazine recently provided an interesting timeline of prefab history.
Did you know?
1624 – The first known prefab, a panelized wood house, is shipped from England to Massachusetts as housing for a fishing fleet.
They published a set of short articles as the GOOD Guide to Prefab Construction:
- Thinking Inside the Box
- A Sustainable Housing Solution?
- A Few Words From a Legend
- Prefab Financing
- Prefabs: Modular Vs. Kit
The New York Times recently discussed the sustainability of modular housing.
The modular housing industry likes to say that it has always had a few characteristics that today might be considered eco-friendly — from reduced waste to a smaller construction footprint.
But it’s only recently — and increasingly amid the flagging housing market — that manufacturers of factory-built homes have realized that concepts like efficiency and sustainability can make for good business strategy.
Mentioned in the article:
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Ecohealth Homes Inspired by Caroline McKenna
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LivingHomes
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Michelle Kaufmann Designs
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New World Home
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Penn Lyon Homes
Read the entire article.
(Hat tip: Charles Bevier of Building Systems on February 11, 2009.)
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| http://blog.michellekaufmann.com/?p=1874 |
Michelle Kaufmann shared a series of 8 pictures of a Sunset Breezehouse being set last weekend in the Central Valley of Northern California.
(It looks much warmer there compared to here in New England!)
Andrew Huff of the Kenneth Cole Awearness Blog recently interviewed Jennifer Siegel, founder and principal of Office of Mobile Design (OMD).
Well, there are three advantages [to prefab construction], which are the issues that play out in every building. There's always this issue of design or style, the issue of cost, and the issue of time. And what's exciting about factory-built or prefabricated systems is that all three of those become possible -- better design, less time, less money. And that's really the holy trinity in the design world.
Read part one and part two of the interview. (The post embeds the USA Network video that we covered two days ago, but the interview is their own.)
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| hivemodular.com |
Jetson Green recently shared pictures of a B-Line house by Hive Modular.
Here are the specs:
USA Network recently named Jennifer Siegel as their 2009 Character Approved honoree for architecture.
The Character Approved Awards honor the characters of the U.S.A. who are changing the face of American culture. Character Approved honorees are innovators in their field who influence our opinions, our style, and our view of the world. They surprise and inspire us with fresh ideas. They are celebrated by their peers. And they have an authentic style that's all their own.
Jennifer Siegel founded CA-based Office of Mobile Design (OMD)
Hat tip: Awearness Blog by Kenneth Cole on February 9, 2009.
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| http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/02/01/realestate/01njzo-650.jpg |
The New York times recently shared the winners of Live the Box: An International Design Competition.
According to the contest site:
AIA Newark and Suburban challenges the world’s most innovative thinkers and designers to re-invent the box with their most inspired and creative utilizations of shipping containers as the primary construct of an urban multi-family mixed use project.
They list the entrants and winners.
Read the NYT article for more details.
(Hat tips: TreeHugger on February 2, 2009 and Apartment Therapy Re-Nest on February 3, 2009)
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/homecontained |
materialicious covered a shipping container house in Kansas City. They found the house via LamiDesign idea log.
The look is very basic. In any case, check out the 53 pictures on Flickr. It's interesting that one section has poured concrete walls.
KWMU 90.7, a radio station in Perryville, MO, recently broadcast a bit about Rocio Romero.
It's not often that the terms "prefabricated home" and "modern architecture" are heard together. But a young architect in Missouri has spent a decade figuring out how to bring low prices to the realm of high design.
Listen to the broadcast (3:35) via the player at the top of the article, check out their slideshow, and read the accompanying article.
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| http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090125/BIZ/901250304 |
The Cape Cod Times recently featured custom modular homes by Realty Development Associates in Sagamore, MA.
Modular home buyers now have a wide choice of fine features that rival those in stick-built homes, from tray and vaulted ceilings, to granite and marble tiles, carpet to wood flooring, maple or cherry cabinets, beadboard and paneled wainscoting and high-grade insulated windows.
Read the entire article for more details.
