Putting the Fabulous Back into Prefab

Posted by on June 02, 2006

If you think prefab housing has to be ugly, think again. We've admired the FlatPak home and other models promoted by Dwell magazine. But take a look at the spread on Riken Yamamoto's Ecoms House in Kyushu featured in the current issue of Wallpaper (June-July, 2006). It is a stunning kit of parts made of aluminum panels that can be endlessly combined.

The house was developed in conjunction with the SUS Cororation, a local manufacturer of aluminum furniture and precision high tech machinery. "Looking for a way to broaden its output, SUS approached Yamamoto to develop a low-cost, ultra-light housing design that could slip off production lines," according to Wallpaper.

If prefab ever catches on in the U.S. -- and with designs like this, it certainly could -- it will shake the housing industry at its core and alter the underlying economics of home building.

Interestingly, an ugly version of prefab is envisioned as part of the solution to the need in New Orleans to rebuild quickly. But from what we've seen, it's the kind of design that gives prefab a bad name.