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    Dwell Prefab Sourcebook Summer 2013

    Copyright:

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    Download as pdf
    631 views172 pages

    Dwell Prefab Sourcebook Summer 2013

    Uploaded by

    Sara Loureiro da Luz
    Dwell Prefab Sourcebook Summer 2013

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    SPECIAL ISSUE dwe PREFAB SOURCEBOOK EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO-BRING PREFAB HOME im me ISSR 47) Plus New ips Er oogeaunos qe}eld Fi Li COLLECTION OF [J ee EXPERTADVICEFROM \\ PREFAB HOUSES THE BEST T ARCHITECTS be =—Ssi(ié‘é‘éN@C@BUILDE c cp Eee enjoy prefab in a new light At Blu Homes, we've taken prefab to a whole new level. Our precision-building techniques and stunning eco-friendly home models are changing the way American families are approaching building a beautiful, healthy home of their dreams. Blu Homes offers you all of the follo \g to create a home that is uniquely yours ‘* Higher ceilings, open floor plans and expansive windows—thanks to our patented steal frame technology + Award-winning home designs custom sited for your land and preferences * The full support of the Blu team for your project—from your own sales consultant, designer and project maneger, to @ dedicated site crew that will have you in your home in no time ) ae As bills + Acompleted home built with green and energy efficient materials making it healthier and less expensive to maintain * Built with your choice of luxurious finishes and appliances—included in fixed and transperent pricing Schedule your free consultation or get free Homes Overview Book at bluhomes.com/dwell a | || Dwell Labs Design Showcase ea oR ey dwellondesign.com/dwell-labs Darra Bishop / Deborah J.D: LauraD. Schwartz Four > Ractel Gynthia Lambakis ‘Suzanne Furst Ate foxes rA:) itech sy cre ean alien “ANYTHING ICAN DO, SHE CAN DO & BETTER.” CHARLES EAMES A CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION IN RAY’S HOMETOWN RAY EAMES a century of modern design THE A California MUSEUM ARCHIVES PLAZA | 1020 0 STREET, SACRAMENTO nea HEALTH HAPPENS HERE ALSO NOW . Prefab Is OUR 22 GREATEST PREFAB STORIES FROM THE PAGES OF DWELL 20 28 36 4 % 4 Is Prolab for Your Mid-City Modern We Dream of Prafahs Massie Produced More Fuller ‘The Bast Little Boathouse InTexas Some Assembly Required Building Blocks ‘The Lonely Little Cannonball ‘Ona Rock ina Hard Place Mind the Gap Manchester United How to Play FlatPok 104 Prefab Perspectives 112 Prefab Proven 116 Into Africa 118 Outback StakedHouse 122 Desert Utopia 130 Konrad Wacksmann: Prefab Pioneer 142 Tree's Company 144 Swiss Mix 152 AllYou Needis LV Dill Media LLC 550 Kearny Steet, Suite 710 San Frans, CA 98103 Prone 4153735100 letiers@dwal.com ‘Oumar Founder Lara Hedberg Dear President Michels O'Connor Abrems Edtorin Chief ‘Arranca Dame'on Creative Diector Alejandra Chavetta Managing Elitr Michele Poener Deouty alkors Aaron Brit, Jame Gil Senior Editor Kelsey Keth Edkorisl Content Brecor, Dwell or Design Enka Meet Asrocate Ect Dina Bus ‘tant Esto: Ola Maren Digital Editor Ein Rha Copy Editor Brends Modistewski Fact Checkers Kratna Ensminger, Madeline datane, taphanie aiyinston, Wesley Micdletor,Shirey Velasquer ‘Special Project Designer Hally Gresley Desianers Cortney Casi, Eric ich Janes Photo Decor ‘Aanea Goldwater Alexarder ‘Asrocate Photo Ector Juli Sabot Exscutve Dirotor, Media Production /Manufectting Fran Fox Asrocate Director, Media Procstion Lesh Kg) Edtorial Production Coordinater Pater ical ‘Aduersing Preducion Cocrdirator shy Seterisnd Media Relations Alec Roi ‘anolier@cnellcom, ‘Aste Reprints Send request reprintdvel com Fens 415-421-1436 Back ewes (Cal tal-froe (inthe US. ane Canad) 0H-565-0851 Subscription Inguites (Cal tol sree: 877-989-2953 (Outside the US. and Cana: 515.208.7663 Online dvelicam, dwell Advaking Dla Dion frond Cvecote NewYork Eat emeyntencover 91721049720, eboetduel cm Suzanne Mishel P2077, masta tls, ernie Paceal S17 2101741 easel cam, 2166609713, ula cm, ira Drecor wert MarelinBarerch NSS2e0 ehnocctanllon. rnd Gvecor/Ost esses Send anger iene SFovezaze40 MoenMaketiDuaiLon Design Serio Mader Maret Manager Brand Manager) Nother US. / Canada DuneWaclsan Ower 248-9664689 danceasrcllcom. Brand Soils Seuwest ‘unahire cxnptall 310570-3618 nshnc@el com Ele holon 310590 7004 ashaln@aallcam Brand Soest Nother Caiforna Googla Kini Maley 4064256415 kinionallg@dil com, Duel the Del logo, and ‘Atom inthe Modern World treragatered vadamatia of Duell Meda LIC Reine Fin (hist Financ Ofer Robert uesy Aininiarater Jo Borroughe FT tanager Greg Daeing ERP syocre Adninater Mathew Hoses ‘Acounsng wanagorAlos Moto ‘ecuntngSpecclis Sere Raines Maietng nd Podict Development Novey lanes Cine eu Conminiesons Director ‘leaner oli Director Spnoahip rogram Chet Sonics Nansger Digits! Kale Zesfoore Digtal Crdinat Holey Cotman Vice Presidet/ ‘Audience DevelepmentCowdCob ‘Audion Devlepment Nanayer Blan Kae ConentMeteting Naneger Mogan tamator Zach Crssch ‘Newest Consutart George Ca "Nefona Disitation Tne Warne Reta ‘ponitonDrsign Excatine Dieter of Operations, Dll Events ym Coe Event Operation: Costar Etoris Content rector Enka Het Event hart Jara Sea ‘psig croup ies President Dass bb 2159795114, daidaulecm. Chert Sonics Decor MiroleGone QD Osa We Can Build it Net-Zero! the mnmMOD system was developed by architects for architects” ~ STUART MAGRUDER, AIA building history mam mall BUILDING §s Luts Custom design walls up in one day. mnmmod.com + 310.264.8200 dwell \a.Vorn. Enduring Age of Prefab _Dwell's fret prefab issue hit newsstands in Apri 2001—a mere six monthsinto the magazine's existence—and it has proved ta bea ‘rucal building blockin our editorial foundation, Over a decade lates, the theme continues to fascinate, challenge, and inspire us. ‘Dwell’ aim has alwaysbeen nat just to highlight people living ina modern way but t9 showthem building ina modern way, toc. With this,our first ever special isoue dedicated to prefab, we col lect and revisit some of our favorite innovative projects, from the striking, black-and-white-striped Kennedy Residence by Anderson “Andersen (featured on the caver of our fist prefab issue and reap: pearing here on page 48), to affordable kit structures developed by ‘ Missouri entrepreneur using agriculturally inspired materials (page 122), to a minimalist design commune in Tokyo (gage 58). ‘We als fet our first-ever Dwell Home, created in 2003 for North Carolina site, by Resolution:4 Architecture, winners of a competition launched by then-editor-in-chief Allison Arieff and ther-publisher Michela O'Connor Abrams.The success of that proj- ‘ct led to today’s Dwell Homes Collection, whieh has included part nerships with Proto Homes, Marmol Radriner,andTurkel Design and Lindal Cedar Hames; the collection ie now vital venus which ve continue tohelp people realize the promise of prefab, dwell ‘This special issue ianot just about locking back. You'll find new, never-before-published projects including a South African cottage built from native koppie stones (page 12) and a jaze musi Fo Ilana, Washington 48 Prefab ing of the Fox land, ashton steepest ined bulding system. Apr: {ab panel (above) ted et oo redesigned dtecly ito the prefab pants, well enseneton phen 3 g a Melissa Kennedy ha lots cof help nthe construction friend intalled the Witchan cabinetsang counter, ihe her etepfother wold Cd the steel oft alings and always-handy chin-yp bar above dwell was orignally designed as ‘he bedroom bet Because ightwould wake Kennedy ep inthememing, he Sen and workspac DWELLINGS ‘Trucks and mud. From everything I've read about seattle architects Mank and Feter Anderson, I'm halfexpecting to meet them on a mucky job site swarming with dry-wallers, roofers,and plumbers. nd, of course, big trucks.the book on thei frm, Andereon Anderton Architecture and Construction, pub lished by Princaton Architectural Pr colorfulon site histories andhammer swinging ‘moments. so when I do meet a stocking-footed Pe in the kitchen of his parents’ house—built by the brothers, with a glorious view of Mount Rainter— sm bit surprised at the lack of heavy machinery, for even a tool belt cesmore sense thatthe only implement Anderson's hand the day we met was his new phone. Although the firm, Anderson Anderson Architecture, operates under herald of the double headed wrench, the firm's logo, ‘moved sway inrecentyears from the job-site day-t0 day.focusing instead on the systems and technol ogy of construction. They dor't seem too eager to return to applying siding in Pacific Northwest rain storms.The panelized prototype housing systems the firm has developed for use inthe United states and Japan are s lucid reconsideration of the typical ‘wood-frame house They could only have been con ceived by architect-builders who have spert many year loading lumber into pickup trucks. Few better understand that every two-by-four counts. Iis precisely the two-by-foursand tw0-by-sixes— the typical components ofan American wood frame building—that distinguish the Anderson ied, prefabricated structures. Historically, modern prefab bousing has been fabricated from a “kit of parts,” «favorite termof architects.tn traditional prefab structures, the emphasis is on creating epecific, rational piecea ready to fit together ina ‘modular framing system. These highly engineered systems closely resemble model airplanes in their ‘manufacture. eady to be snapped cut ofthat pack age and glued together, each part is unique for eff ‘ent assemblyand production. Problems arise when ‘apiece gets lost under the couch in the den.The project hasno flexibility. Legos, with their endless combinations of modular rectangular parts, provide ‘many more building possibilities than do model air planes built from a kit. ‘The Andersons used the framing equivalent of 1Legos,balleon platform framing, in the construction of thei first prototype, the Kennedy house an Fox Island, Washington, outside of Seattle. the practical reasons for developing the panelized house came {from the need to reduce building costs and deal with. ‘an aweward site condition. The house was on a bit of slope and didn't havea whole lot of room" he Andersons have panel: Prefab DWELLINGS Kennedy Residence / Fox |sland, Washington Melissa Kennedy extols the virtues prefabricated panel system went up _totheliving ares, which, in tum, is of the siding on her Washington in a mere eight hours. a doublesheight space linked to the State home. “The dogs chewed off Although they required painstak- upstairs oft. Many of the construc: 9 zection down below and! wos ing workto install, she light gray and tion and finish details were designed able to cut itout and replace it.” charcoal colored stipes of asphalt bythe architects tobe installed, lke Anderson Anderson designed the were worth the effort. The small the siding, by Kennedy and company. facade tobe installed by Kennedy house, 956 square feet, takesonthe Melissa's stepfather is a Navy welder, and her family, in ordertocutthe chiaroscuro banding of a Venetian _soail the steel hancrails and the ‘overall labor cost. The architects’ chapel. The large expanses ofthe beams that supportthe loft were budget was around $85,000. "All! Andersons’ trademark windows, designedto be constructed with rememberis standing,’ she recel- installed an theexterior of the bal. chip-welding methods. One detail lects,a little less enthusiastically, loon framing, reflect the lightand _nt inthe original set of plansis “my brother‘in-law,Dad, myself, and dark patterns of sun and pinetrees. a chin-upbar for Kennedy, who is afiend of my brother-in-law nailing Inside the house, underthearcof _a firefighter. It hangs off the steel away.” The actual contactorsonthe the curved roof, the spaces alight- _beams-a perfect illustration of how project hed it surprisinglyeasy; the filled volume. The kitchenis open _to customize a prefab house. {for staging the construction. the panels were built five orten: 5s away and then driven to the site ‘Asa result, the width and length ofa atbed truck. determined the maximum width and height ofthe hhoase, since any piece larger than the truck bed ‘would have been considered an oversize load, “We were trying to figure out how to achieve a ‘house that is rationalized but i stil special. 1 is prefabricated and a prototype but has the flexibility ‘of being somewhat custom,” says Peter Anderson of the new system. The Andersons had primarily been designing one-off,high-end custom homes. Thebest way to understand the difference between standard balloon frame construction and the panl- ized system isto seeit in place. Peter slipson his ‘shoes and we drive out the Kennedy house in Mark’s red SUV, which Peterhas borrowed for the occasion. “We have always been interested insite issues. ‘We saw a lot of houses that didn’t work with the site, especialy the prefab packaged houses built by developers in Japan. Wewanted to come up with, a system that was a response that allows for site adjustment,” says Peter Anderson. He muses further ‘onthe subject in Architecture and Construction: In “Japan—asin larger developer projectsin the United ‘States—affordable housing sites are often developed ‘as massive land:-engincering projects that reduce complex natural ané urban environments toflat, casily buildable sites.” Standing in the basement of the house,1 begin to really understand the panel system. In front of me, ‘the concrete foundation wall steps up the contour of the sitein eight-foot wide sections. The narrow dimensions of the panel allow for great flexibility ‘The same house could be built on a flatter or steeper ‘grade just by shifting the foundation wall and the ‘overall length ofthe panel. Each section is an “open panel,” meaning the panelarrivesat the site framed and sheeted with» 52. Prefab eticomlandessonandrson bbythesrothers Andersen, ‘he ceiling voultover the rnainliving space (oppo Sitedissolves moa gles arid. The tongue-in-sroove ‘tood celing typical of se of constnction-grade materials Nakedtwo Uy-sic wooden stide-the structural elements found Inside the walle-pasein frontof the windows, dwell DWELLINGS plywood on one side but without insulation, siding, or any type of utility inside, These will come later Each panelis then crane-lifted ontothe founds tion Since the Kennedy house isa prototype of the houses Anderson Anderson designs for overseas developers, its open-pane! construction is meant to ‘acilitate the panels going through building-cede inspection when they are shi units to.Japan.An unassembled house fits in two 20-by-8.5-foot shipping containers. ‘The size of the house and the shape of the roof are linked also to the firm's use of stock build ‘ng materials in sts modular system. The 18-fo0t width ofthe Ke ped as individual nedy house is determined by the ‘maximum clear span that can be achieved with off-the-shelf materials. This allows for lotlike, column-free living area, “There ae all the same issues with us throughout ‘our projects: interactions with the site and with the materials,” explains Mark Anderson. The curvature of the roof ie a straightforward exampleof howthe ‘Andersons’ hands-on experiences contractors has affected their design practice-The gentle curve not only gracefully plays against thestripes of the build ing facade, but the radius represents the maximum. the roof panels could be hane-bent in the feld.the panele didn't have to be premanufactured and could ‘he shipped flat This saved fabrication time and cost, ultimately making the house more affordable to build without causing it to lose design value. Pechaps the most characteristic design element, ‘ne that carries throughout the firm’ work, from the mort elemental, down-to-earth projects tothe highest-end custom homes, is the the windows. In Anderson Anderson homes the ‘wood structure, the two-by-six studs, extends from floor to ceiling regardless of whether thereis a wall orawindow.Asa result,a timber skeleton appears, in frontof the glass, with ne headers. The windows skin the house ike a modernist eurtain wall, fram- ing views and standing independent from the ‘weight ofthe wall “Some people thinkthat toseea view younced a \whole,open span. view needs aforeground and a background. The exposed two-by fours on the interior siveyoua reference plane Vou might fel peyeho. logically more cold feel more exposed with the glass expanse. he wood verticals—close tothe body—are warming and frame the view,” theorizes Peter. {As the Andersons have experimented more with housing systems, designing prototypes for treatment of Preah ss ee eee The Shinohara Panelized House Prototype / Isuruga, Japan. Theprefabricatedhomes designed _orderto meke the most of the expen by Andersen Anderson and built Sveland, the houses are built out te by Japanese developer Amerikaya _their maximum lot dimensions. The Corporation face a unique East Shinohara house delicately combines meets: West dilemma. “Everyone in Easternand Western elements. The Japan] thinks thattwo-by-four houses construction is of American stock come with gable roofs,"says Peter wood lumber, although the working Anderson, explaining the Japanese drawings fer the house are noted in yen for American-style homes. "From feet and inches, metric, and conven: the late 1980s untifairlyrecently, _tional Japanese building units. Made there was 2 real [desire] for bad of predesigned modular units, the suburban chateaux, mini-cathedral house is arranged around a central homes," adds Mark Anderson. courtyard, maximizing the small, Rather than finding that their terraced lot. The interior andthe Pacific Northwest-born wood-frame exterior weave together interlock panel designs were too Western for _ ing Western building practice witha Japanese tastes, they foundthat their sensitivity to the site condition and houses were, attimes, not American beautiful spaces. ‘enough Ironically, the Shinohara house comes doser te the open ness and transparency of the tradi tional Japanese house-with the shoji screens and layered spaces flow: ing into each other-thanthe ranch hhomes in anezrby subdivision. The Andersons ound that when o typical apanese home gets “modernized,” itcloses up. Room divisions, previ ‘ously shoji screens, are tuned into full-height gypsum-board walls with simple-tramed doors. Moreover, in Supported and siepended sre sn Anderson Anderson by brightyeFowsteel Idiosynerasy. The light struts the deck opposite) and dark banding helps luraps around the side and todos the mateot frontof the Kennedy resi the wall. Therllasphalt dence. By extendingthe roofing usedto create the home, ft provides just 2 «enough toom for naps and with commen: eats. Thestiped walls place building materia. dwell DWELLINGS the Japanese market, they've modified their concept of prefabrication. the bal loon framing and curtain-wall windows are stil crucial elements in houses, but they are one ofa few repeating ele ments that can be recombined. Peter sees this new concept as challenging prefab preconceptions.“When people think about prefab, they think that it isa whole—a mobile home. Oursis its ‘own kind of system made out of big: ger chunks. The cross-section iteelfis a prototype." The shinohara Panelized House Prototype in Tsuruga Japan, ‘expresses the concept of predesigned modules. The struetural system, the ‘windows, ofthe kitehen and bath room layout come together with six or eight other units to form a house. “The system is standardized enough thatitis clear in howit goes together, ‘but open,’ Mark explains. Peter and I drive the loop mad around the Port of Facoma, tis alow= Iying landscape of metal sheds and ‘warehouses—manufactuting central for the SeaTac area. Peter thinks of itas Anderson Anderson's spiritual home. Every house shipped to Japan goes ‘he port."Everything you could ever need tohave fabricated ie somewherein theze,"he says wist: fally looking out atthe jumble of oké metal buildings A contrast can be made between the firm's simple sys- tems of construction and the rusty port tableaux. anything, the incongruity underscores Anderson Anderson's devo tionto the linkbetween materials and -g00d design, high tech or low: Some assembly required, mad and trucks not necessarily included.t! ‘out throu Prefab 57 DWELLINGS purely communal, but detached UnitC, Yasue Meriyama’s"Ining room,” functions the mast ao This space gives you the | } DWELLINGS BUILDING BLOCK (ee) DWELLINGS All but one of the work in the d jents ign field, giving the place the air of a college campus. Moriyama calls all the residents “fai 60 Prefab well DWELLINGS DWELLINGS MisueNalamura above) iste editer ofthe conten: 62 Prefab well The stereo in Uni A's ‘hidflaer becroom and studs bo (ight is jut tease compared the win ovless basement “audio spends private time inthe company of 2000 vinyl spurs, mol jzz Hore ‘few albumeare accor panied by Neguehis Akar Lamp tN ‘he sive plan sepresense ‘eet aoe plane for the fend T feature multiple | ‘Hloota noe depicted here, in the bey below. 3 Adio Room 4 Living Hoon and 2 Storge A Ding moon and 2 hithrooe AF Dining, Room and kitcten ap Daseon AF muttapuspese Living Brow BF Bathroon AF Multipurpose 2 maltapurpose Livia Room and aatlucon dwell DWELLINGS / Prefab 62 DWELLINGS Johanna Meyer newestrestdent ard one ofthe rotating inter: ational architects in Ryue Nishizewa's office, works inthe sanctuary ofher room (Unit). The evening and publicbaths are el Breuno, but this is new the bath (fae et) dating tse but won't cover any feals gacdte courlet inner space wih the ovt sce works” Dusk vets cnthelitle vilage ines leftand opposte).l “Outside the compound, our awarene different. Within, we can concentrate on our own realm. This is a pure white space.” ing arc! 64 Prefab dwell DWELLINGS PMc} Anarchitectural marvel on an inaccessible site, Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House shows that using off-the-shelf materials needn't yield substandard design. By Alexa Gifts Photo by Ear Stolaresto Publlahed March 2004 es Prefab Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House on Florida's Sanibel Island almost looksas fit’ trying to hide ‘among the nearby overgrown rrees and bushes. Large vacation vilaa of the Spenish colonial and Mediterranean variety have croviced the small whit structuretto the point that its stark, angular form seams out ofplace. Itwasnt alnays so. When the house was first built, it commanded unobstructed, majestic views ofthe ocean ona beach worl famous for its beautful she in 1952 the young Rudalph was commissioned by Minneapolis couple to design a refuge fromthe bitter Midwestern winters. At that time, the only way togetto Sanibel was by ferry, necessitating the use of lightweight, easily portadle construction mater tls The size of the house-which was const contrely from standard building supplies, such ae plywood sheets, two-by-fours, and brass boat ‘maker's hardware-was determined by the dimen: sions ofits materials. Each ofits four sides consists ofthree bs ‘approximately 24 feet (the width of six standard sheets of plywood). On each side, two bays are occupied by hinged panels that can be pulled up or down using pulleys, ables, and sphercal,cast-ran counterweghts, thus explaining the family’s nickrame for their house, Cannon Ball Floorto-ceiling glazed windows provide light and Views on all sides, This ingenious binetic wall and: window structure net only ventilates the interior, itprovides shelter and shade on the sanciterrace surrounding the house. These same cantlevered ponel, when battened down, provide protection from the storms and occasional hurricanes that lash the small island Over time, Sanibel has become a popularand pricey resortcommunity. Acauseway connecting the island to the Florida mainlend helped precip tate the development that now surrounds this erly Rusalah masterpiece. Cannon Ball's glorious, unen cumbered ocean views may belong to its past, but inevery ether way the house functions just asit did back inthe 'S0s, demonstrating the structural and aesthetic possibilities of bulding with entirely pro seic materials. gaaualaicit Contemporary, Flexible, Sustainable Stilwater Dwelings feature dramatic naturel lighting, inteligent flor plans and premium contemporary fishes, for exceptional cuality and value. Bull using flexible systems-based sustanable construction, Silwater offers a high level cf design and smanchip while controlling costs and dramaticaly shortoning project times, 1 your individual preferences. And all Stlwater Dwellings come with uptront fed fal pricing, greatly reducing unwanted surprises. More than 20 tlocr plans to start fram, DWELLIN On a Rock in a Hard Place cs In-an unlikely: mountaintop locale, Ande! Beier acucatine ae ceuis aeoecen icin for the prefabri dé: construction indus is DWELLINGS rem Wagner hotos by John ark Grane Fall, Washi on cold, érizzly late November morning in downtown Seattle, prefab buildingsare not the first thing on most people's mind:—+ rosri cory cabin is more like it ut for Peter and Marke Anderson, of Anderson Anderson Architecture, the twoaren’'t mutually exclusive. Pr tious ideal as an everyman’s architecture, holds the promise of making that cozy cabin dream bot accessible and affordable o,svith its ambi- But the Seattle-and San Francisce-bssed archi tects have found that this dream is not necessarily the reality. "Low cost is what everyone thinks when they think prefab,” Peter Ancerson says with some dismay-“We've been working with these building concepts for years,and while there is definitely a cost differential as opposed to stick-built structures, the homes we do are not what you would cal cheap. very house is dfferent—different site different lent desires, different design—and with difference comes cost.” Despite Anderson's frustration with the common perception of prefab as the “low cost alternative,” it's also the reason so many are drawn to prefab, It's certainly what brought Scott Stafne to the Andersons’ door. After seeing their Kennedy house (on page 48) onthe cover of Dwell in 2001,Stafne,a ruff, semitetired lawyer who cut his teeth battling bureaucrats and inaurance companies in Seattle, Inew these were his architects. Rut the hause Stafne desired was nooréinary structure, and the story of ts development points to many of the obstacles standing in the wey of modemizing the prefab hous- ing industry. In the mid.’20s,Stafnehad acquired 360 acres of mountaintap land, consisting of 16 buildable lots of 21 acres or more near Granite Falls, Washington, about an hour outside of seattle. He planned to give up his house in the city forthe windswept, inhos pitable tract ofan. Stafne and his younger brother Todd, former owner of aconstruction company Prefab 69 DWELLINGS ‘sts Panel Layout of Main Moor (plan view) ‘the ute of structural insulated panels ocd spline beam aysten, thick is the Link ‘throughout the heute betwaan the steel rane helped apeed the and the panels. the outaction proces. Site protide tc "The panels thenselves spanning capacity A continamt steel beam below struccurs uteide deck 1 Typical 10-inch fst asd wall areas typical 20-inch stmoctural ocr panel tt vention) window ave te pass thenugh lear in south Americe and an earth-moving-equipment ‘enthusiast, were ready to baild, “There was nothing, up there,” Stafne explains. "Nothing except acres and acresof tees, wild animals, lakes, ivers,and waterfalls” While in some respects the site had ‘everything, it had none ofthe most basic creature comforts—no electricity,na weter.and ne roads, save fora primitive logging road that wound up the exceedingly steep mountainside Cost aside, prefabricated construction seemed like the perfect salution to stafue's needs, given the dif ccult nature ofthe site and Scafne's desire to keepit ae pristine as possible. ut,as Anderson explains, "That jis another misconception people have about prefab— that itis. simple, quick, clean process While there are definite advantages,theway the process has to be ‘conducted now, iis stil quite complicated.” ‘Thedesign of the Cantilever House,as it's known, is hased on a 14-hy-86-hy-22-foot steel frame,rest- ing ona 14-by-31-foot concrete foundation bolted to anexisting rock. “That rock is really what allowed this to besuch a unique house” says andersen. "It's ‘what allowed us to cantilever the whole structure and take sdvantege ofthe ste, pointing the house directly at the waterfalls, which are incredible.” An early estimate from one national steel com- pany, prior toengineering and further design of the ‘steel frame, however, presented the frst obstacle. ‘An rlington, Washington-based steel manufac turer, chosen for its proximity to the site,quoted the Andersons the manageable sim of $45,000—a num ber that seemed unrealistically low to the architects but stuck with Stafne. But when construction was set after this initial quote and the ‘very early research that had confirmed the viability of the design concept~the turbulent steel market had caused the cost af the frame ta spike considerably. Frustrated but left with litte choice, Anderson Anderson took the project to Seattle-based United Tren Works. The frame was now set torun upward ‘f $66,000, a significant jump from the original est- ‘mate anda big chunk of the $200,000 stafne had te othe esi Would net heve been sible with conventional framing techniques, ‘any ofthe curr ulyunique, hye sr turalaystom, DWELLINGS The ving roam (opposite) looks out toware the waterfalls hat at p the praparty andthe ins ‘ation forthe town’sname. ‘rst Constantin Hapsianu he colton table and the sainiess sted ralings surreundingthe staircase hoped to spend on the project in total. But elient and architect remained committed to the prefabricated design scheme,and the project continued its mareh toward completion, ‘With the framing issue solved, the architects turned their aention to panels." We wanted to use stPsforeverything," Anderson explains. The most noticeable part ofthe plan had the 4-by-22-foat pan ls hanging offthe steel frame, aeting as walls,their ‘weight shared equally by suspension from cantile vered roof structure beams (which in turn reston the steel frame) and by support from cantilevered floor structure beams (which cantilever out from the steel frame). The panels follow asimple pattern that leaves open space for dramatic Noor-to-ceiling windows throughout the house.Once some of the Andersons’ more unique ideas for the SIPs were fully developed, their use for the floors, ceilings, and walls proved to be a huge time-saver, ‘ut before any of that could happen,the team, hhad another problem to resolve.the steel frame ‘made its way from Seattle to Granite Falls on the back ofa tractor trailer, but once the truckers Urighe), ScottStaine below) ralases in his upstairs fice and T¥ room ina Naww22lounge chat. The stairs and the wood panal- ing (ight) were designed snd bull by woodwer Noah israel, a longtime neighbor and rend DWELLINGS reached the area, they refused to ecale the moun- tain: The unpaved road that ascended the grade by way of narrow switchbacks was more than they'd bargained for.The driver unloaded the frame and eftit sitting at the foot of the mountain in the morning fog. “We were a little stunned," says Todd. “That putus in atough position and cast us thousands of extra dollars” But the Stafne brothers, who'd figured out how to extract electrical power from the rivers on the property and get running water throughout, ‘were not about to be stopped by their Firzearralto- like dilemma. “We've gotten to know a bunch of the loggers up here and they know these logging roads; stafne explains.“We gave them some cash,and they hooked the thing up to one of their trucks and just started dragging.” ‘Amazingly, t worked, the frame was pulled to the tp of the mountain and then eraned into pos tionon the foundation The project finally started to experience the effects of prefeb's speedy potential “The basic structure ofthe home went up relat quickly” says general contractor Kyle Keever: “ll in) DWELLINGS all, it tookabout ewo weeks to come together once ‘everything was in place” Prefab's benefits were enticing, butStaine also ‘yearned fora truly unique home—representative of his varied pursuits and passions. o that end, heengaged many of hisartist friends to helpwith building and outfitting his nevr abode. Woodworker 'Noalh israel built the stairs tha wind chrough the ceater of the house,andalso lined the interier walls ‘with Douglas fir that was planed five times in order towarm up the space and add texture to the oth cerwise fla surfaces. artist Constantin Hapaianu contributed some of the stainless steel work,as well as many of the sculptures, while Brian Stephens ‘and Dennis Coons completed much of the exterior landecaping and earthwork around the house. Larry Stauffer also designed a good deal of Stafne’s artwork specifically for the house. With this creative collabo. ration, the house, as Staine is fond of saying, “really feels like a work af art.” 74 Prefab Stalnes office ef showeaseshis ingenious lure ofthe stew structure fof the house ata handy bbookesse. Themaster [bathroom above) ie turee ated shower-an ‘optimal spot fer viewing the intense weather. Mimickingthe cantilever atthe house, an autdaar showe:(opposte, just ffthe matter beckoom, Stretches cut gently toward the surounding woods, While these flourishes have been critical to make ng the structure a home rather than justa steel box, they've alo heen the culprits in many ofthe cost overruns.“Wewere hoping to get this place built for $150,000 to $200,000," Stafne says."But that just didn'thappen. teame out to be much more.There are sill so many anknowns and unforeseen difficul tes that ean occur. Despite all the problems, one would be hard pressed to argue that the project has been anything but a success. And ifthehome didn't meet all of Stafne's budgetary goals, ithas certainly made him happy. “Once the house went up, it was ineredible,” hesays.~I don't inow ifany of us could have appre ciated the views we were going to getthe home ‘wewere going taget—until we actually got them.” ‘And the house adds an interesting case study to the ongoing project that is prefabricated building — another rang to the ladder the building industry needs to climb to maximize prefab's potentia.tt DWELLINGS DWELLINGS pe ee re er eee Sn ‘environmental health hazard notice otvthe site ee Seen este eoee ines pre Re e ecea renee ei na cd veer err anne ers Ce ne ee eee eet eos Rene eer sera ere Peete cee ur ae tees ieee ee Rete eel ieee ere a Pay room-bedrooms on the lower floors, with living and. ene er en eee Pee a eta Gare ie ue a ere sare oe (ee toe aa able, “Though we're very vsible, the outsideworld Reeser trea eee aoa ete eres tc ery eee mn nee ae ae By Amsra olsteln Phato by Jeremy Murch Published AprilMay 2006 ALindal CEDAR HOMES String balance between novation and ‘rattan - te modes designs of uke Design by nda Cedar Hones have ben chasen for incsion in the Doll Homes Collection, At the heart ofthe Lindal Experience lives progress and tradition, inspiration and predictability the cutting-edge architecture of Turkel Design delivered through the time-honored bung systems of Lincal Cedar Homes nave been named {0 TIME’s 2009 Green Design 100. Known for enduring quaity and a 63: year commitment to sustainabilty, Lindal Cedar Homes is very proud to be the fist systems-built housing provider approved bythe NAHB'S Research Center Green Building Program bus flats avechovn ate Bes ene by ns. RT] Tonict a hearepesestatie, lear more about te caring serie of ot” zt duelthomescallection vosdde nett of deals purchasconeo ur plamnng ude, E ses view 2 ee electronic design portfolo go toindalcamvewell LB] 3 4A Lindal ARCHITECTS COLLABORATIVE The Linda artecs Gotaberatie Disciplined union of inoration and experience; creatvty and predictably, ‘The most diverse callection of exclusive signature designs by celebrated architects ‘The peace of mind of a time-tested prefeb building system Flexibility to personalize for self and site A resource efficient planning process enhances predictability and controls cost Legendary qualily backed by lifetime structural warranty Te oe Local expertise and caring service We invite you to collabote. Find a loca independent desler or explre the free 152 page Linda! Architects Colaboratwe Design Portola at LindaLecmy/LAG o cl 1-688-4INDAL i fates Mase rchtecs, Sox Harbor, NY Davi Vandervrt Aches, Seat, WA Ml Zratnergy sin, Goston, A DRAB] Camey Logan Burke Architects, Jackson, WY Ml Narmol Radzinet, Los Angeles, CA Mil Mltius Architecture Inc, Toronto, ON Moving Studas,San Francisco, CA & Princeton, NJ Ml Frank Loyd Wright School f Architecture, Sccttscate. AZ a DWELLINGS lf 1 a t . at first, Terry Ohm only knewhe wanted some- thing rural, maybe even off the childhood immersat his grandparents’ farm in northernmost Minnesota, in ahouse his grand: father built-S0, seven yearsago, he found a 63-acze ‘mountaintop parcelin Lake County, equipped with a driveway, and the Mayacamas Mountai solar panels andwater tanks, he sought an architect well, and gorgcous views of Clear Lake Ache researched specializing in custom-built and prefab architecture, 1n 2009, while surfing the website Fabprefi hediscoveree the if Hou! jomizable g ed by Los Angelesarchitectstinda rTaalman and Alan Koch, He was drawn to the iT House's durability and affordability; almost mor anopen framework than a house, it's mat ‘extruded aluminum frame so strong that it holds upitsstee! roof without help from structural walls. ery wall can be glass—or fiberboard cement, depending on the occupant’ individual tastes. What's more,it' shelf indastrial grade components net originally intended for homes—like Bosca anodized aluminum 1ed to Support factory assembly lines, and acoustic metal decking, more commenly seen “onairports. Mass-produced, thes keep the component cost to $180 per square foot, framinj pieces not only DWELLINGS 1 open all the windows, and it feels like ?'m living outdoors.” terry Ohm they make assembly simplerané less expensive. ots and other basic mechanical fasteners help make iteasy for a small crew to assemble the entire house in three or four months. (The wall framing requires an llen wrench, the aluminum frame and steel platform a socket wrench.) Ultimately, hm chase Faaiman and Koch's design “forall the glass,” he says. “Being uphere in nature, liked feeling like t was outdaoes when Twas indoors.” ‘When hemet with the architects, in late 2009, they had two basic iT House models: a 1,200-square foot and a 1,600-squate-foot version. But Ohm ‘wanted something smaller.“I brought a drawing and said, Can we make it ike this?” he says.» dwell Prefab 4 For Taalmanand Koch, collaboration is one of the joysof creating prefab structures. "It’s rewarding t0 perfect a system, as opposed to starting from seratch, cach time;"Taslman says." like doing industrial design work, like making customized cars” ‘They showed Ohm how, for structural reasons, they loosely configured the houses around # 12-by- ‘2-foot grid, with the living room in onecube and the tedioom in another. But those rooms could be made ightly bigger or smeller and arranged however Ohm desired. They settled on 900 square feet of interior space and three decks that total 00 square feet. "The shell isthe architects’” says Ohm. “Everything else wwaskind ofmylitte art project out here.” {In fact, Ohmis art project is now a permanent tion toTaalman and Koch's prefab line, as oF January2013, the s00-square-foct elevated if Cabin is available for $240,000. ‘Some modifications were practical: Ohm's site hhada slight grade,which made the architeets'stan- dard concrete-slab foundation problematic. They planned to bud a wooden platform until Koch discovered the bidirectional steel moment frame from Blue Sky Building systems. Made of 16-inch galvanized stee! beams, usually used to support ‘warehouse mezzanines, the lightweight frame allowed the house to hover above the ground on slender eight-inch support columns.This not only gave the house the captivating illusion of fasting, dovetailed perfectly with the architects interest in industrial and repurposed materials. ‘Other changes were mare aesthetic: While stan dard Houses use Bulthaup cabinetry, Ohm wanted to design all his own furniture. with help fromhis friend David Pierce, ofan Prancisco-based studio Ohio Design, he selected some Monterey eyress {rom Evan shively's salvaged-wood mill,Arborica. ‘Then he drew an the boxy, formal language of Donald Jude to draft is couches, bed, and kitehen cabinets. He sent the drawings to Ohio Design for fabrication. ‘Construction began that summer.The heuse arrived in several shipments, most components strapped atop flatbed trucks,including the steel base, double-paned glass walls, and aluminum fram- ing. “It was kind of like an Erector set,” Ohm says. “Everything had to be put together.”» ‘Ohm entsted Ohio Design tp abrieate the feetot ‘minimalist, Donald Juda Inspired furitue, includ ing desk ard bookshelin is home offes (opposite toplandithe safe and co: fae tble nis living room DWELLINGS (opposite bation). The toorlampis Ohm's design, nade by PhoanixDay. Ohm starched outtworfoor wide spplances for his tiny itchen (above) neleding ‘fridge rom Fagor and an ‘ventrom Verona. Prefab DWELLINGS 4 Prefab ‘To lower costs, Taalman and Koch didnt visit the site until the house was near completion. ohm. moved toncarby Geyserville, California, for ayear and a half to supervise construction himself. He hited twolocal contractors familiar with sustain- able construction, Steve Harmon and Steve Gresham. It took them and two helpers only six weeks to erect the Blue sky Prame.After the subfloor was installed, ‘a Taalman Koch Architecture employce drove upto ‘Lake County to show the team how the aluminum framing should be bolted together.A crew of glaz~ cers drove up from Southern California and installed and sealed the windows in just a few days.The only hhiecup was a brief spell of early winter rains,which postponed the roofing by a month (heavy black plastic, secured with two by fours, offered a tenable temporary solution). When the architects finally arrived fora site inspection, in January 2011, only afew tweaks tothe shell remained. No surprise, Ohm's lighting design. impressed them most. Bl dnelicon Check out an ealer version ofthe House — “When you have an all-glass interior environ- ‘ment, at night the glass becomes black and reflee: ‘uve,’ Taalman explains." You want solt-glow lighting, or else the glass becon Terry havachieved akind of high-tech worm.” ‘During the day, Ohm relies on sunlight. For night time, he drew on his long experience illuminating sglass-heavy, modern homes and glass-paned labbies (of LEED certified hotels to reste a bevy of ingenious ‘energy-efficient solutions. For example, he irstalled indirest LED strips, aimed at the blond wood walls, along theback edges of his exposed kitchen cabinets togive the shelves acandle-like glow.Everywhere else, he combined low-watt incandescent and halo- ‘gea bulbswith simple Lutron Diva dimmers. For his ceiling fixtures, he chose slender, directional cylinderewith recessed sockets sothe lights can't reflect offthe glass. He fitted them with s0.watt _MRuG halogen bulbs for their many beamand lens ‘options, which he selected according to their tasks: linear spread lenses for the fixtures above his desk and kitchen island, « narrowerspot toshine on the artwork in the living room.Forhie bathreom wall fixtures and the living area floor and table lamps, hechose warmly diffusing glass and paper shades, along wit dimmable, incandescent, 25-watt bulbs. “I dim them s0 low, they'remore energy-efficient than any fluorescent,” he says.’Atnigat, it feels like a Trench restaurantin here!” Overall, Ohm is amazed by how well he's taken tohisnew rural fein the thin membrane of his ¢glass house. While he spends one éaya weekin San Francisco, he doesn't miss theeity the other Six. He's too absorbed learning the seasonal move- ‘mentsof the sun and moon, and getting to know his new neighhare, fram bobcats to butterflies. “Iwas seeking arural experience, but I hadnt planned on ‘getting the hyperawareness that 'm getting now, ‘which is pretty coo,” says Ohm. “Thad a bear come tovisit recently, who sat about20 feet from the house and looked at melike wasn the 200.7! dwell slike a mirror DWELLINGS nterested in designing things that are ctly what they need to be and nothing more.” —Architect Linda '‘Taalman ae) Partof Wanches:ersongo- ing uban-rogeneraton plan, Mono was built ae Space tor stores and com smordial buciessos onthe {ground Foor, wit si ste fet af apartments siting plocidly overheod. With ts tmadern andcubiet exe for. there's ne attempt ta idethe modular as scam and express hatitis rather than being Fiiden ty atacade,"notes dwell Prefabricated housing has long been the bastard child of Pritish architecture. orn out ofa postwar desperation to shelter thousands of peoplelleft homeless by bombing raids, over 150,000 prefab houses were erected in the five years immediately {ollowing world War Haile for speed rather than aesthetics, their temporariness lack of attention to design, and shoddy construction standards became evidentin the decades tofollow.Though their own- cers often came to love them as symbols of renewed hope and modernity, the reality of deteriorating asbestos concrete, leaky window seams, and poor insulation resulted ina recent government led demolition crusade. “The result is that anything with the word ‘prefab in itnow carries a certain negative connotation,” says Chris stalker of Manchester-based develop- ‘ment firm Urban Splash, known for renovating det- ict buildings and reconstructing undesiral The gavernment, faced with burgeoning popula- tions working in town centers and limited room for expansion is desperate for new urban housing and is using the earlier prefab boom as a model for cur rent construction, Unlike that of the postwar pop) lation, however the aesthetie standards of today’s coneumers aremuch higher, Itseems fitting, then, that the first private, com: pletely prefab housing project in England bas just A DWELLINGS ‘been built in Manchester,a city that has success. {ally grappled with its own set of negative connota tions. Over the past ten years, Manchester has gone from beinga place known for its pall of industrial smoke and endless spiresof Victorian architecture twa dynamic urban center. Manchester was acen- tor of the Industrial Revolution, Stalker explains. “An IRA terrorist bomb went off in the citycenterin 1996, and since then, the city has been visionary in reinventing itself as a European city-Ten yearsago, everyone was living in the suburbs; now, thereare ‘probably 10,000 people living inthe ety ceates” Urban Splash iaat the forefront oft effort. Its current focus is Castlefield, a brownfield areain dawntewn Manchester that's gone from ‘manufacturing squalor to nighttime scene in a short time.Cotton mills have been converted to apartments and high-tech businesses, canals host sonal boot festivals and art gelleries,pubs,and cafes clog the 2rea. Over the past six years, Urban splash has constructed or refurbished four residen- tial buildings in Castlfield, Their firth, however, is perhaps the most exciting. ‘Moho (short for modular housing) was the result ing brief by Liverpool-based ShedKM, ayoung architecture firm whose inventive ethos nicely comalements Urban Splash’s desire for constant innovation.» ofawi Hotes ty Peter Marlow Magnum Photos Published in Apr/May 2005 Ceveop BE eeticomisicsinc-cortairera ‘Sing containers area favorite tol for modular bulg Prefab 97 DWELLINGS Sliding partons separate rons tohelp increase 2 sense of spacicusness, and cheery cstornnade furnzurealse helps detract fromthemodestsquare footage. "the unts are compact bu! wave gone to gteat lengths design for tha," explains deve: sper Chri Sale balou tn an apartment's balcony, luhich provides addons! dwell According to ShedKM prinsipsl and director James Weston, "Urban Splash wanted to offer ‘accommodation so that university graduates and key workers could afford to buy an live in ‘Manchester’s city center” Apart from that,Urban splash had no other requirements in its project bref ‘To mect thisneed for affordable housing while ‘maintaining high design and production standards, shedkM began researching new technologies. “We'd been aware of one oF two prefab schemes in this country, such as those by Cartwright Pickard Architects and the Peabody Trust, nonprofit hhouring association," Weston says. “Sowe contacted Yorkon, thecompany that was making the prefab units for these projects, and went to see their construction process. Yorkon had used thetechnol- ogy for hotel designs and then clamped phony brick structure on the outside. Plus, the units had entirely traditional finishes Ihyoat and design—just done with an off-site assembly. We felt that you could celebrate the idea of a modular off-site unit rether than tr to disguiseit,and thar the design quality was rot meeting its full potential.” ShedkM drew up plans foran apartment complex thatwould appeal to younger residents—and that ‘would be completely prefabricated by Yorkon. Urban nda evrventional DWELLINGS splach, affable and ever receptive tonew ideas, immediately bougit into the concept: ‘To maximize the possibilities of each unit, sheékM designed apartments that literally tum the standard model on its head, Most other prefab apart iments area series of rooms that are built separately in the factory then joined together onsite. shegKM, however, preferred to create fully formed apart: ‘ments in the factory. The limiting factor, however, ‘was the width of exch unit, which had to conform to UK transportation codes and road sizes. Insteadof the traditional manner of joining prefab components side to side, the architects oriented the anits on their ends, making al af Mahos mod: ules extralong-with each comprising one complete apartment eliminating the need for messy room seams and on-site electrical or power hookups ‘within. Everything, from bathroomsand kitchens to cupboards, was installed in the factory ‘Actual construction of the components began in Janvary2004; by August, all 102 ofthe apartments hhad been tracked to the site and installed on the six story prefabricated stel frame, whica was erected ‘while factory workwas ongoing—saving six months in the construction provess. “It’s incredible to aee the ‘modules being brought tothe sit,” says Staller, with awein his wice. Each is put onto the back of a lorry re Prefab 99 DWELLINGS Ta conan cute. plethor afstomge Epiceswers bull the rooms Drawers stay hidden under the bed, bathream eabinesy ‘bounds, and Ioick leks inthe bedroom ‘and living room ca est ‘onmutiple shelves 90 Prefab sdditional Bedcoon —F Texraces Framework 6 Hlarcer satusteade Loavered Sezees 4H Bedroon Dining Pod T ttsance Ped debewtzede 3 Living Roo DWELLINGS dwell DWELLINGS Moho Step-by-Step 22. Prefab From the Fermacell wall fonele nd the enginesred ‘imberflaorsused atthe cutest tothe unite being fished ithe factory and thentruckedto the bulé sepof the process was nneticulously detailed to ‘clever system of cranes and onsite workers installed within ix months dwell and delivered at intervals of one an hour,at the rate of siva day. They get the frst onein place, just in time {for the next to be called tothe site, ready tobe erected. W's quite amazing to see these units—compietewith slazing,a frontdocr, and a roof—lfted into position.” ‘hough the spaces are compact (525 square feet for the one bedroom, including balcony space,700 square feet for twa bedrooms), number ofelements were incorporated to make the apartments fee! more spacious.After the modules were all put into place, separate balconies foreach unit (also prefab) were lifted inte position. These outdoor spaces belie the scant equare feotege, cresting areasforresidents to have parties grow small gardens,and meet up with their neighbors for afterwork drinks. ‘The length ofthe units (20. feet each) provides continuous line of viewso,says Weston, “you can always see from one end to the other, and itfeels auch larger than if you choppedit intoa series of smaller rooms.’ Customized furniture by the com. pany Mooch was builtin to make good use of the space and to save money. Engineered timber floors provide visual warmth for the spaceand offset the stariness of the waite plaster wals.Fo eliminate the anessiness of tile and grout, bathrooms were finished in the same Fermacell wallboardas the living areas. DWELLINGS Perhaps the mott starting feature for those with prefab prejucices isthe level of quality achieved inthe project. "In atraditional on-site project’ explains Weston, “there are 100 little rooms with different trades working on them, and 1's very difficult for acontractor and design team to monitor workers spread all over the building, Whereas inthe factory, the modules ae alllaid out in along line,and you can walk down the line and see very quickly ifthings arenot quite right.The quality in Moho isabsolutely better than if we did ‘inthe traditional way.” Yorkon received rave reviews from both ShedkM and Urban Splash for its ability to adapt to madern prefab design and its attention to detail, Residents started moving into Mohoin 2005 and reception to the project has already been strong, ‘fact that Stalker atibutes in partto the new architecture and building boom in once-grubby Manchester aver the past decade. “there's plenty tobe proud about over what's being done in Manchester,” Stalker says.“I think Manchester is quite tuned into modern design” ‘Moho might finally help pat those pestwar prefab semories to rest and usher in a new generstion of ‘modular heusing in England) Prefab 93 Peel een een es een Te Pier nn keen eae friendly FlatPak just might be the project that revolutionizes the prefab industry. 24 Prefab By Alison Are Photos by Chad Holder Proje FiatPak House Lscaior: Minneapot Minnesota DWELLINGS See if this story doesn’t sound familiar You've grown tired of andlords, upstairs neighbors fond of igi the middle ofthe night, and throw- ing your money away on rent You start perusing the ‘weekend open-home lstingsin the paper and begin to think seriously aboat moving your growing family intoa home of your own. But once you start looking atwhat's out there, depression sets in and the real: ‘ation hits: Ifyouhave more than acasual interest jn modem architecture and lees than a six-figure salary,your dream home might remain just that Such was the story of architect Charlie Lazor, who began looking for a house in Minneapolis for him- selfhiswile Zelda, and their two children, Jasper, bs and Maeve, eight. The prospects werent looking good. But instead of settling or giving up,Lazor took action and launched FlatPak,a prefebricated house system that aims to provide ‘architecture for the ordinary pocketbook.” “FlatPakedidn't start out as a grand plan” Lezor explains. “It started from my own frustration. ‘2elda and Iwanted a house. We didn’t like whst wwasout there.so Tstarted todesigna system appropriate tomynecds.” ‘One of those needs was the knowledge that his family of four would “only last ayear ina rental,” jokes Lazor. Notwithstanding the challenges of any temporary living situation, the Lazor brood ‘was supportive from the start. Zelds, who teaches high schoo! literature, was thrilled.“I knew he ‘would come up with 2 fabulous idea. In our frst apartment in New York,” she recalls, “he devised furniture out of found objects and made them ‘exquisite. Our first dining room table was made fom twa-by-fours,cinder blacks, and a piece of slass. His ability to take material and make it beautiful is his forte. completely trusted him with the concept and design of our house.” Granted, Lazor was uniquely qualifiedto put the plan for something like FlatPak in motion Prefab 95 DWELLINGS 96 Prefab Ascofounderwith architect Maurice Blanks and sculptor John Christakeas ofthe medlem furniture ‘company Blu Dot, hed already devoted eight years tothecreation of modem, affordable design. Bla Dot's simple and elegant furniture has lang been recognized for its precise and inventive use of rmuterals fabrication technologics,and metheds of assembly. FatPak was adirect outgrowth of that. ther models for Lazor's venture were architect Jean Prowvé and designer Charles Eames, both of ‘whom developed easily manufactured components forthe furniture andhouses they designed."Bath tapped int the technology of their tim Laror-“Prouvé wasn't depending on the nascent housing industry toget his stuff made, he was locking atthe steel industry” Building ahouse is far more complex than making a chair or table, however ard Lazor realized that in order for the latPak system to work, hhewoulld “need to be the eave study inhabitant and the builder and the assembler of the first house. Only through doing do you find the efficiencies. An incredibly rich amount of dataand experience ‘comes out ofthe process.” His frst step was, quite simply, to think about the best way to get of the ground. "One idea,” says ‘Laror, “was ahouse that was largely underground— almost [Japanese architect Tadao] Ando-like It'swhat they call here in Minnescta a‘walkeut" ‘where you sleep below and liveon the grouné floot ‘Ultimately excavation costs were too high—and besides, poople didn't respond wallto the sleeping- underground concept atall.” Lazor saw the need for a parel system that could receive different types of cladding (cedar, corrugated sietal, Douglas fir) and simultaneously allow walls to ‘beopened upgenerously in a single stroke say, bya large piece of glase).“t wanted to simplifythe deployment ofthe components," Lizor explains. "That ‘meant minimizing the number of corners.Really, sbocrves dwell DWELLINGS eee ee cre nner emesis ii iy ee il ual (cue ted Til a 3 i a if “ibaa jail - aim mi Aw eM 1 the ideal shythm is A,A,A, only putting in B orc when completely necessary: The resulting FlatPak system is a highly flexible kit of parts that boils dovn to three basie compo- nents: concrete wall panels; wood-framed panels with wood,metal,or cement-board sidingyand a ‘wood frame infiled with large expanses of glass ‘Theroof isa metal structural insulated panel of Xynar-painted steel and rigid insulation. “Imagine 4 sandwich,” Lazor explains. "The bread is steel and the bologna is insulation”) And the way the house {s put together couldn't te more basic: in aword, bolts. “TlatPalcis a design game that even s kid can play says Lazor. "It's designed to be easily under- stood and manipulated by a layperson.” “In Denmark,” he continues, “there is bread that is sublime,theve is butter that is sublime. Idon't need complicated saucesto feel fulfilled, just sub me bread and buttes” {na profession where complevity is often valued ‘over practicality, Lazor’s approach to architecture is refreshingly straightforward and unburdened by the ego ofits creator—it's also rife with possibil sty. tis systemisntt about reinventing the wheel; i's about drawing from existing conditions and allowing them to flourish. Instead of asking a single manufacturer to febricate a newly designed building module, for example, Lazor took a lesson from his experience at Blu Dot, where elements like panels and drawer pulls are sourced from a variety of different manufacturers, allowing each, supplier to continue doing whatit does best.“f you go with a single manufacturer, you have to use their tools,their materials, and that’s limiting” says Laaor, ‘So I searched for off-the-shelf systems that I could tweak aesthetically, systems that could be used ina new way. This ensures flexibility and a . ‘6. Wachsmann volunteered forthe U.S.Army five days after the attackon earl Harhor, c (top) wearing he ty the Cal lahore (shove right) wee Sigutie tet rates the 30 pe _bultinkeping th crt smocth SictiresThough”_planesand ecilinear volumes of id KL bb Ane ———— 432 Prefab te apariular century moder Healthy, beautiful, high-performance prefab that is unmatched in quality. Method offers turnkey construction that makes the process of building your home efficient and streamlined. We offer a full line of architect-designed models and infinite custom options for your residential and commercial projects. Contact us today to see what we can build for you. i-s method homes 206.789.5553 | into@methodhomes.net | methodhomes.net The Nar e DWELLINGS A redwood interior and cozy dimensions make jazz pianist Greg Reitan’s Los Angeles prefab by architect J. Lamant Langworthy an ideal place to work and play. Prefab 135 DWELLINGS {Los Angeles composer and pianist ‘Greg Reitan ie a skilled musician, but hie neighbors haven't always appreci ated his talent. “Being a piano player ‘was somewhat hard,” says Reitan of living ane working in an apartment ‘complex in close proximity to neigh- bors: "they'd complain” In 1997, he ‘spotted an ad fora house highin the hills of Highland Park, andas Reitan and his wife, Meredith Drake Reitan, rolled up a winding driveway to the low-slung box perched on a ricge, they knew it was the right place for them. “Tt would be a goad place nat to bug people.” ‘Thehouse was more than an out= ofearshot hideaway, though; it was anarchitectural time capsule—one of ‘a handfulof modular houses designed fab and builtin the 1960s by J-tamont Langworthy,a well-known Laguna Beach architect and prefab pioneer Langwortiy wanted to create @low- ‘cost, low-impact housing solution that ‘would make a modern home acces- sible to a broad market. "Our idea was to create better design for at least the same cast asa tract home,” says Langworthy,now 82and still working, from his office in Graton, California. The heart of Langworthy's design ‘wasn't somuch an aesthetic agenda buta featof engineering. parmner in hie em had worked in atrucs company.ané they hit upon the idea of using asingle truss module as a kkind of building block, providing both structural strength anda strong visual impact. 1talso allowed for ultimate” Pen ns ee ey oe ears Sera Poerinreny ore eres pene ead cere ny perce eres ee eereok eri fees the house are By Arcadia Lenser ene DWELLINGS Prefab 137 flexibility: The units could be brought to difficult ocations, stacked, and even, cantilevered atop oneanother. ‘This schemewas especialy effective {or the hilly lots ofSouthern California, many of which afforded incredible vievts bat had been declared anbuile able.tn fact, the site of Reitan's house (one of three nearty) was specifically chosen for its challenging topography. “Hlewantec to demonstrate thatit was, 004 forhillsides,” says the pianist— that“the trass was stablefora tough site, The structure wes finished in an orange County factoryin 1963, bat, ‘before it was installed, it made a 1,200. mile road trip to Sacramento to be featured as part ofthe Calforaia Design ‘en exhibition, Reitan’s house, dubved Concept 2 because it'sa smaller variation on the ‘original Concept 1, has a total living space of 960 square feet. Materials, like the half inch, rough sawn redwood plywood that covers the walls inside and out, were picked for both afford: ability and durability.(the Concept 2 retailed in 1968 for $12,307, including appliances.) Massive, sliding glass doors openon cither end of the house ‘onto redwond decks, and,inside,the exposed Douglas fir trusses become a

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