Prefab Slapstick in One Week
I was in the process of researching a big prefab round-up story this week when I came across what might be the only prefab slapstick comedy in existence. A good three decade's before Jacque Tati's M. Hulot bumbled his way through the modern world, Buster Keaton played a luckless newlywed trying to build a kit home in One Week (1920). Build-it-by-the-numbers kit homes had come onto the market at the turn of the century—Sears Roebuck & Co. introduced theirs in 1908—so Keaton was playing with a newish mode of American housing. As you might expect, things go terribly wrong for our hero, not least of which because his building materials get all mixed up. You can see the 19-minute film in the two videos posted below.
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Articles
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An Introduction to Prefab
The basic principle of prefab, whereby a home is fabricated in one location and then delivered to another, has been around for at least a few hundred years.
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101 Prefab
Everything you wanted to know about prefab but were afraid to ask! We've tapped the brain behind popular web resource FabPreFab to explain the birds and bees of manufactured housing.
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Prefab, Proven
In January 2003, we issued a challenge to 16 architects: Design a modern prefab home for $200,000. Here’s the story of the house that resulted from that challenge—and what we learned…
Products
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AC 01 Alarm Clock
Jasper Morrison hits another home run with this alarm clock available in red, black or white. Though we're known to hit the snooze button over and over again, we wouldn't mind being roused by this…
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Prefab Prototypes: Site-Specific Design for Offsite Construction
A detailed guide to six different prefab systems, weighing the pros and cons of each and explaining how they work.
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Puravida Single Hole Faucet
The Puravida line by Hansgrohe represents purity and clarity of form – as seen in this single-hole faucet. Beautiful in its starkness, it is the perfect accent to any modern bathroom…
Dwell Collection
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Mapping Prefab
In just under ten years, dozens of prefab projects from all over the world have graced the pages of Dwell. We sifted through our archives to find some of our best-loved pieces, revisiting stories…
Tips
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Think Smaller. Think Efficient.
Don’t target a prefab project and forget to adapt your wish list to fit the capabilities of the task at hand. A prefabricated house or commercial project has certain limitations, one of which…
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The More Complete, the More Prefab
There are quite a few companies out there that are marketing “prefab” but not all of them are designing and producing entirely finished products. Many projects we have seen appear to be…
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Prefab is Not Necessarily Less Expensive
It certainly can be, but as with any project it depends on the architect, the fabricator, and how everything is organized in anticipation of installation at your site. Your architect needs to be…
Video
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Design Leader: Michelle Kaufmann
As part of our Design Leaders video series, prefab specialist Michelle Kaufmann shares her philosophy on sustainable modular construction.
Events
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Prefab Education Workshop
Join Ryan E. Smith, professor of architectural technology and author of Prefab Architecture, in the Prefab Education workshop on January 13th, 2012. Learn about the history of industrialized…
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Exhibition: Work AC—49 Cities
49 cities is a call to re-engage cities as the site of radical thinking and experimentation, moving beyond ‘green building’ towards an embrace of ideas, scale, vision and common sense combined with…
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Palm Springs Modernism Week
Palm Springs Modernism Week is an 11-day celebration of mid-century modern design, architecture, and culture in Palm Springs, California. This design aesthetic originated in the 1940s, 50s, and…
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Related Products
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AC 01 Alarm Clock
by Jasper MorrisonJasper Morrison hits another home run with…
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Prefab Prototypes: Site-Specific Design for Offsite Construction
A detailed guide to six different prefab…
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Puravida Single Hole Faucet
The Puravida line by Hansgrohe represents…
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