Sprout Space is a prefabricated modular classroom designed by Allen Post, an architect in the Atlanta office of Perkins+Will, that offers a high-performance learning environment in a sustainably designed structure. In addition to winning an international competition sponsored by Open Architecture for best re-locatable classroom design, Sprout Space has been selected to appear in the Green Schools exhibit this fall at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

+ Perkins+Will

Via Curbed Atlanta

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: "sustainable architecture", best re-locatable classroom, green classroom, green design, perkins + will, prefab architecture, Prefab Housing, sprout space, Sustainable Building, sustainable design

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Altius Architecture, Altius Architecture lindal prefab, and The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, and The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture lindal prefab, Eco Architecture, economical home, factory made homes, flat pack architecture, getting the most from your building site, green architecture, green guide to prefab, history of modernism, history of prefab design, history of prefab homes, history of prefabricated housing, homes on wheels, Lindal Cedar Homes, lindal collaborative architects program, lindal homes, marmol radziner, Marmol Radziner lindal prefab, Mates Masi + Architects, Mates Masi + Architects lindal prefab, michael harris, mobil homes, modern family homes, modern home, modernism, non-volumetric homes, portable homes, prefab architecture, prefab building for mainstream buyers, Prefab Homes, prefab industry, prefabricated architecture, prefabricated homes, siting your home, The Lindal Architects Collaborative, trailer homes, volumetric homes

Frank Lloyd Wright meets modern day prefab in the stunning Mod.Fab home, developed by students at Taliesin West in collaboration with their Dean Victor Sidy and Inhabitat favorite Jennifer Siegal. The goal of the collaboration was to build a prototype prefab conducive to elegant and sustainable living within the heart of the desert landscape. It only took a single picture for us to become instantaneous fans, and from passive solar design to photovoltaic panels and SIPs we’re thoroughly impressed with the project’s sustainable elements.

Read the rest of MOD.FAB: Stunning Prefab by the School of Frank Lloyd Wright

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: green architecture, green design, Jennifer Siegal, modfab prefab, Office of Mobile Design, Office of Mobile Design. PrairieMod, PrairieMod, prefab architecture, prefab design, Prefab Housing, PreFab Modern, prefabricated architecture, school of frank lloyd wright, Sustainable Building, Taliesin West

Last month we kicked off our Green Guide to Prefab series with an article exploring the history of prefabricated housing. Now we’re back with another installation in this series to take a look at mobile homes and their influence on the development of prefabs.  Although the words ‘mobile home’ today often conjure up images of convicts on the run and sprawling trailer parks outside cities, these compact houses on wheels were in fact part of a design revolution that gave way to a low-cost, portable option for single-family home ownership. Read on for the second installment of our Green Guide to Prefab, where former Lindal Cedar Homes CEO, and green design consultant Michael Harris returns to enlighten us on the history of the mobile home and how it helped shape the modern prefab.

Read the rest of GREEN GUIDE TO PREFAB: The History of the Mobile Home and Its Influence on the Modern Prefab

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Eco Architecture, economical home, factory made homes, flat pak architecture, green architecture, green guide to prefab, history of modernism, history of prefab design, history of prefab homes, history of prefabricated housing, homes on wheels, Lindal Cedar Homes, lindal homes, michael harris, mobil homes, mobile homes, modern family homes, modern home, modern trailer homes, modernism, non-volumetric homes, portable homes, prefab architecture, Prefab Homes, prefab industry, prefabricated architecture, prefabricated homes, trailer homes, volumetric homes

Unveiled for Queima das Fitas do Porto festival in Portugal, the BLUETUBE BAR uses TUBE-IT, a construction system that uses standard corrugated plastic tubes and plastic clamps. Designed by Dose Architecture, the temporary bar measures 10 x 10 x16 feet and (due to its translucent qualities) glows at night. The structure has a beguiling, shaggy look to it thanks to the plastic ties and all of the materials can be reused in another project thanks to their flexible nature.

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Architecture, blue bar, bluetube bar, corrugated plastic tube, corrugated plastic tubes, dose architecture, eco design, green design, modular architecture, portuguese design, prefab architecture, Queima das Fitas do Porto festival, Recycled Materials, standard materials, temporary bar

To adress the growing problems of the 21st century – particularly the housing shortage facing a large percentage the world’s population – the Ekinoid Project focuses on creating a self-assembling, sustainable, off-the-grid town for 10,000 people that can be constructed in six months. The Ekinoid concept is designed to be easy to fabricate (ideally using no expert knowledge or skills), house a family of three or four, and take under one week to build. All parts of an Ekinoid home can be custom made to suit local climates and terrains, and be delivered on-site for construction. Structurally light, yet exceptionally strong, the Ekinoid reduces the need for raw material, and can even be recycled at the end of its estimated 100 year useful life.

+ Ekinoid Project

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: alternative housing solutions, ekinoid project, housing for the world, housing solutions, low impact housing, modular housing, pod building, prefab architecture, Prefab Housing, prefab pods

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: "energy efficiency", "sustainable development", Caracos, Chile, Daylighting, eco design, Gonzalo Mardones Arquitecto, Green Appliances, Green Building, green design, Miele, modular architecture, prefab architecture, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, temporary structures

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: aconcagua, andes mountains, Argentina, eco-tourism, eco-travel, geodesic dome house, green camping, green lighting, green technology, mule, prefab architecture, renewable energy, solar panels, water issues

At Inhabitat, we love compact, modern designs that take advantage of efficient prefabricated building techniques, and Ruby Sketch‘s shipping container home certainly caught our eye with its sleek form and super-sustainable energy saving systems. The efficient and affordable living space boasts double insulation, solar power, and it can be run off the grid for 2 weeks without electricity. With a generous bathroom, living and bedroom cleverly laid out, it can easily be craned into a backyard and built in less than 3 weeks!

+ Ruby Sketch

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: "sustainable architecture", eco homes, modular housing, prefab architecture, ruby sketch, ruby sketch up, shipping container architecture, shipping container home, Sustainable Shipping container home

Read the rest of Nottoscale’s Rondolino Prefab is an Energy-Efficient Home in the High Desert of Nevada

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: "sustainable architecture", desert architecture, eco design, green architecture, Green Building, green design, nottoscale, Prefab, prefab architecture, prefab construction, prefab home, rondolino residence, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, t-modulome

Read the rest of World’s First Exhibit on Container Architecture Curated by Jure Kotnik Lands in Seattle

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: "sustainable architecture", architecture exhibit, Cargotecture, container architecture, container architecture exhibit, eco design, green architecture, Green Building, green design, jure kotnik, prefab architecture, seattle AIA, seattle AIA gallery, shipping containers, Sustainable Building, sustainable design

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Dass, Dass Architects, eco design, green design, Larus architecture, Lisbon, micro design, portugal, prefab architecture, prefab design, sustainable design, sustianable design, tree hotel, tree houses, treehotel, treehouse, Treehouses

Prefabricated housing has seen a surge in popularity over the last few years as an affordable, eco-friendly and modern alternative to custom stick-built housing or suburban tract homes. Although prefab construction has experienced a recent spike in popularity in this past decade, the idea of prefabricated building construction is nothing new – prefab designs have been around for over a century, embedded in the history of the modern architecture movement. In order to really understand prefab housing, we’re going to dive into a history lesson and take a look back at the prefab home movement during the last century.

Inhabitat is pleased to announce the launch of a brand new six-part series, The Green Guide To Prefab Housing, where we are enlisting the expertise of graduate architect, former Lindal Cedar Homes CEO and green design consultant Michael Harris. In our first three installments, Michael introduces us to the prefabricated home as a modern, green design alternative, analyzing the roots of factory-made housing and how its core concepts have converged with the precepts of sustainability and modernism. How has factory-built housing been informed by modernism and the green movement? And how has prefab construction influenced green, modern design? Jump ahead to part one this series where Michael will take you on an in-depth tour of a particular type of prefab package; the kit-home.

Read the rest of GREEN GUIDE TO PREFAB: The History of The Kit Home

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Acorn House, carl koch, case study house, Charles and Ray Eames, deck house, Eco Architecture, economical home, factory made homes, flat pak architecture, green architecture, green guide to prefab, history of modernism, history of prefab design, history of prefab homes, history of prefabricated housing, homes on wheels, Lindal Cedar Homes, lindal homes, michael harris, mobil homes, mobile homes, modern family homes, modern home, modern trailer homes, modernism, non-volumetric homes, portable homes, prefab architecture, Prefab Homes, prefab industry, prefabricated architecture, prefabricated homes, Sears Roebuck Kit House, Sir Walter Lindal, trailer homes, Truck Chassis homes, volumetric homes, Walter Gropius

Iceland’s ailing economy isn’t going to keep it from making environmental strides – the city of Keflavik will soon be receiving 37 prefabricated components in order to complete the world’s first zero-carbon data center. The project, commissioned by UK start-up Verne Global (a data hosting company), will comprise 5,400 sq ft and will be powered completely by geothermal and hydroelectric power.

Read the rest of Iceland to Build World’s First Zero-Carbon Data Center

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: colt it group, energy use it data centers, Geothermal power, hydropower, iceland energy, it data centers, prefab architecture, prefab data center, verne global, world's first zero carbon data center, zero carbon data center

Quadrant is a modular/prefab housing system consisting of aluminum extrusions held together with a patented locking system. Structural Insulated Panels (SIP’s) are used for walls, roofs, and floors, meaning the Quadrant can be built in days with limited skilled labor and practically no wasted materials. Its use of highly recyclable non toxic materials and high energy efficiency make it an extremely green home. All the pieces can be precut, predrilled, and shipped flat and ready to assemble.

+ Quadrant House

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: eco design, green design, green home, prefab architecture, prefab home, quadrant, quadrant home, quadrant house, sustainable design

Bjarko|Serra Architects’ modern backyard cottage is a 800 s.f. mini-dwelling created in response to a recent zoning code change in Seattle to create more density. Dubbed the DADU (detached accessory dwelling unit), this backyard cottage has been designed as an addition to a single-family home, but is flexible enough to serve as a small, stand-alone home for austere inhabitants. The 5-star Built Green design focuses on creating an innovative approach to small scale building on an occupied site, where off-site production is the primary mode used to decrease site impact. The dwelling also features a low site-impact foundation system of pin piles supporting a raised floor system; the main building shell and roof are composed of pre-fabricated high R-Value SIPS wall panels; rainwater harvesting is used for garden irrigation and storm water management; roof mounted solar systems provide electricity generation and hot water; low- or no-VOC finishes are used throughout; and recycled and sustainable materials are used when possible.

+ Bjarko|Serra Architects

The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat? Send us a tip by following this link. Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing!

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: backyard cottage, Bjarko Serra Architects, Bjarko|Serra Architects, DADU house, detached housing, green architecture, home additions, micro architecture, micro homes, micro houses, prefab architecture, prefab design, Prefab Housing, small homes, tiny houses

Sett Studio takes an innovative and green approach to designing functional spaces that can be used as a home office, an art studio, a yoga space, a kids room, a guest room and more. Sett uses modular construction to build your new studio in their warehouse and deliver it right to your property. Instead of months of on-site construction, Sett can install your new space in just days. The new space can be utilized in an variety of ways, and layouts range from 97-192 square feet, eliminating the requirement for building permits in most cases.

+ Sett Studio

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Eco Architecture, eco design, green design, modular architecture, Prefab, prefab architecture, sett, sett studio, sustainable design

We love the work of Jennifer Siegal’s Office of Mobile Design, and our very own Emily Pilloton had the opportunity to talk to her in person about green architecture and her prefab designs. One of her standout designs includes the ShowHouse, which serves as a great example of efficiently and effectively executed prefab construction combined with a seamless integration of green materials and technologies. Read on or watch the video of Emily’s interview with Jennifer ahead!

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: Jennifer Siegal of Office of Mobile Design

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: architecture interview, dwell on design, inhabitat interviews jennifer siegal, Jennifer Siegal, jennifer siegal mobile design, mobile design, pre fab, Prefab, prefab architecture, prefab design, Prefab friday, ShowHouse

We at Inhabitat are bona fide prefab lovers. And while we tout the benefits of the prefab process every day, it’s also important to step back and examine the potential of the prefab market, its opportunities, and how it can be maximized to produce even more sustainable, affordable, and high-quality structures. Toby Long, of CleverHomes, has been one of prefab’s pioneers with the MiniHome and NowHouse. I had a chance to sit down with him and discuss the prefab “movement,” and how he sees it maturing in the future.

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: Clever Homes, CleverHomes, eco design, geen home, green building San Francisco, Green Community building, green design, Heron’s Head Park, Interview with Toby Long, LEJ, Literacy for Environmental Justice, Living Classroom, Prefab Architect, prefab architecture, prefab home, sustainable design, Toby Long, Toby Long AIA

Read the rest of Best of Green Furniture Design at ICFF 2011!

Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg
Post tags: brc designs circuit chair, cabin fever, cardboard lamps, contemporary furniture, eco-friendly design, Furniture Fair, grain, Graypants, green design, green furniture”, gypsy wheel, icff 2011, icff 2011 nyc, icff new york city, inhabitat icff, inhabitat icff reporting, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, ISDA, japan bag lights, legato transforming bench, Molo, new york city furniture fair, Nike, nyc furniture fair, origami lamp, plumen, plumen bulbs, pratt, pratt felt cardboard table, prefab architecture, prefab cabin, prefab home, puck and blossom, qis design shroom lamp, raad chicken coop, raindrop cfl lamp, recycled tire drum set, rubberband chair, sneaker tiles, space divider made from paper spools, Strida, strida bikes, zip, zipcabin