Prefab Info / Process

Modulome is a prefabricated, modular housing system that incorporates basic production principles from the automobile industry into architecture, providing flexible and affordable housing solutions for different income levels, site requirements and owner preferences.

All major components of the Modulome are prefabricated at the factory. The main difference from automobile production is that the individual parts are assembled onsite at the final location, allowing the building to respond directly to context and owner specifications. The core of the Modulome is a pre-fabricated, pre-assembled and pre-finished steel chassis that measures 14’x42’x10′, and which can be trucked to the site as a single unit. The building chassis is made of square steel tube members that have predrilled holes in them that all other building elements attach to via screws and bolts. Structurally the chassis is a pre-engineered moment-frame that can be stacked or combined with one another in any possible way.

All building parts of the Modulome, from the wall panels to the kitchen and the bathroom units, are based on a 2′-0′ building module and can be arranged within the building chassis to form – based on the owner’s requirements and preferences – many different spatial configurations.

At the site, the chassis is mounted onto site-specific columns on point foundations. Once the chassis is in place, the floor and the roof assembly as well as the exterior wall panels and interior building units are attached to the frame. The prefabricated wall panels come in three different widths that are based on a 2′-0′ building module. The panels can be fabricated in a variety of materials, colors and textures, allowing for easy customization.

As the panels and other building elements are not permanently attached, they can easily be exchanged at a later time, allowing for the building to change and evolve based on the changing needs of the owner.

The Modulome is flexible enough to adapt to different environments, climates and to a multitude of its owner’s aesthetic and functional preferences. Because of its modular nature, the Modulome allows for a large variety of different spatial configurations of the main chassis, responding to programmatic and site-specific demands.

New developments, re-densifications of existing neighborhoods or a variety of more urban configurations can be easily created by arranging units in a multitude of ways. The shown site plan uses a hypothetical lot, arranging different building configurations in a way that creates a variety of spaces with different densities, providing common green spaces that could be shared by all inhabitants. The different housing types; single standing, duplex, stacked, courtyard house and others, emphasize spatial and social diversity by providing housing for different family configurations and sizes as well as for a multitude of different income groups.

The prefabricated wall panels come in three different widths that are based on a 2′-0′ building module and that can be individually arranged according to site and owner specifications. The panels can be fabricated in a variety of different materials, colors and textures, allowing for easy customization. Shown here is the plastic panel variation in a suburban setting.

The interior of the Modulome is based on a 2′-0′ building module, enabling various spatial configurations to suit the owner’s needs and preferences. The typical floor plan is open in nature, creating an expansive sense of space and volume. More private aspects like the bathroom, bedroom and closet are situated in enclosed ‘building blocks’ that also organize the space.

Different accessories and design options are available, allowing for easy modification of the main building chassis. Some examples include a breakfast nook that can be added to the side of the frame, a sliding door element or a carport which can be created simply by raising the chassis to a height of about 7′-6′ above the ground.

Recognizing the limited nature of natural resources, the Modulome is designed to minimize its impact on its location. The efficient floor plan and the plan of the base unit allows for more open space per typical building lot than the average single-family home. The raised chassis provides a crawlspace and eliminates the need for large foundation excavations, leaving the ground underneath the house almost untouched. The building’s modular prefabrication process also limits the amount of waste common to typical suburban type developments while providing a quality control standard to the fabrication and construction phase of the building process.