and environmental warranties. Advanced software makes cus-
How do architects go about conceptualising, developing, mar-
tomising easy. Each house, built in the wood framing method on
keting and building the prefab house in the USA? The business
site, takes 54 days to build. The workload is scheduled in such a
of prefabricated architecture is challenging.
way that every construction stage is synchronised at six houses
Typically, an architect comes up with a design, finds a con-
per day. This example of system building is effectively an inverse
tractor to fund and build a prototype and then finds a developer
assembly line – the different stages of the “factory” move from
to manufacture the product. Another strategy places the devel-
house to house.
oper as the central figure. The developer, more experienced with real estate fluctuations and usually backed up with more capital,
Prefabricated housing
brings in the architect to design a house system and a builder
Eye-catching websites on prefabricated housing like www.fab-
to produce the system components, has a prototype built and
prefab.com and www.prefabs.com are spreading the trend in
organises the marketing strategy. A prefab home builder, Living
modern architecture, which was previously limited to the design-
Homes of Santa Monica, California, for example, works with this
conscious (28, 29). Insiders seek inspiration through trend-
strategy, featuring two or three architects and promising the nec-
setters like Dwell magazine. American designers like Michelle
essary expertise in building and management. Another company,
Kaufmann, Rocio Romero (27), Marmol Radziner and Associates
Parco Homes, is run by an architect with a team of experts from
are well-known names to prefab aficionados. The Internet provides the potential homeowner (prefab or not) with choices of materials, arrangements and sizes, and when they have finished shopping, they can ring up the total price, usually not including foundations and public utilities. Fabprefab, a platform for both on-the-market and potential prefab homes from all over the world, proves that the interest in prefab exists on a global scale.
28
Abiquiu House, Abiquiu, New Mexico, Anderson Anderson Architecture, 2009 The house was built with readily available prefabricated elements and industrial products – however, it is not strictly a prefab house but rather a one-off design. 27
LV Series Home, Perryville, Missouri, Rocio Romero, 2000 The minimalistic LV Series Home is factory-built as a kit of parts. It is built with steel posts and OSB panels, a simple, durable, green and cost-effective solution with scope for many design and technical options.
SYSTE M S I N HOUS I NG
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