Designed to have a low impact on the environment without compromising style and comfort, these seven inviting prefab homes offer a fun and eco-conscious way to unwind.
Hainichhöfe
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Sited in Hainich–the largest deciduous forest in the northwest of Thuringia, Germany–are the six chalets of Hainichhöfe holiday village. These modular chalets were prefabricated off site. Only the windows and roof tiles were installed on site. Built with spruce and larch wood, the spacious, 753-square-foot chalets with simple Scandinavian-style décor can comfortably fit up to four guests.
Los Angeles–based design partners Taalman and Koch created this house in Pioneertown, California, from prefabricated structural components, and included glass walls on which artists later applied surface graphics. Available for rent through Boutique Homes, this 1,100-square-foot house cost approximately $265,000 to build and is composed of a Bosch aluminum framing system and perforated steel decking roof. The interior floors are equipped with radiant heating, and cabinets were built out of Formica or plastic-laminated plywood.
This holiday house in Islen, in the Austrian municipality of Mellau, is composed of eight prefabricated, modular boxes that arrived on-site fully furnished—even the curtains were installed. The only element that was completed on site was the sloping roof, which was created with prefab panels. Made using sustainable materials like native spruce and ash wood, and a rice husk composite for the surfaces of the wet areas, the entire building was erected in a single day.
Set in a Las Vegas desert, this prefabricated prototype designed by architect Peter Strzebniok was constructed in sections which were transported, then assembled on site. The house is composed of two complete units with interlocking sections that are raised above the ground to create a clean-lined geometric wood paneled structure of a deep gold color. Within, a "T" shaped floor plan encompasses three bedrooms, and a large living, dining, and kitchen area that connects to a spacious deck.
Four prefabricated alpine micro-houses by COMMOD-Haus were added to a boutique hotel in Carinthia, Austria. The transportable and environmentally-friendly timber frame structures were delivered to their designated spot at the end of a winding mountain road and mounted securely with ground screws. The houses were assembled within hours, and the only part that was built on site was the terrace. Part of the farmhouse hotel complex, the 248-square-foot micro-houses have access to all of the hotel’s facilities.
Overlooking a peaceful meadow in the province of Overijssel in the Netherlands is a snug, 452-square-foot prefabricated wooden hut with large windows that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. Build in two modules that were transported and assembled on site, the house, which was constructed mainly with Oregon pine, arrived complete with bathroom, kitchen, couches, table, inner walls, cabinets, beds, and floors. Custom-designed furniture, such as a sofa integrated into a sunken living area, and a U-shaped corner bench, imbues this little hut with plenty of quirky charm.
This striking split-level prefab located next to an old farmhouse in the East Tyrolean village of Nussdorf, Austria, appears to be part bird, part UFO. Designed by architects Peter and Lukas Jungmann, the 485-square-foot space, which accommodates up to eight people, is clad in rustic, Austrian-style shingles, but its sharp angles and asymmetrical shape give it a distinctly futuristic, nest-like look. Its interiors are fitted with waterproof and rot-resistant larch wood and expansive, angled-glass windows that bring in much sunlight during the day while presenting spectacular alpine views.