Collection by Luke Hopping
These Eco-Friendly Prefabs Are Totally Off-the-Grid
Simple and sustainable, these off-the-grid prefabs demonstrate how easy it can be to leave it all behind.
The restrained 820-square-foot interior is defined by the angular ceiling. Garlick left the prefabricated structural panels unfinished to save on material costs. A True North wood stove from Pacific Energy heats the house. Max, the family’s cat, naps on a vintage rug purchased on eBay.
Built of prefabricated modules, the house is a comfortable, loft-like design that can be constructed easily.
The design consists of three layers: an energy-efficient, insulating structural envelope, an integrated building systems core with the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and an exterior shell equipped with solar systems and the ability to shade and collect rainwater.
The Element House by MOS Architects stands on pylons, creating the illusion of it hovering over the desert floor. Nine thermal chimneys, one of which can be seen right, channel hot air out from the interior living areas.
The aluminum-clad structure consists of several prefabricated units joined to make a three-bedroom residence, complete with a living room, dining room, and kitchen.
Upon his first visit to Tasmania, an island south of the Australian mainland, resident David Burns was immediately smitten with its varied, pristine landscape. Working with architecture firm Misho+Associates, he built a self-sustaining, 818-square-foot retreat that would allow him to completely unplug from urban life.
The Premaydena House by Misho+Associates was designed as a "box within a box," in which two interior structures—an open-plan living space and two en suite bedrooms—sit within an exterior envelope. Inspired by the region’s fiery orange lichen and the indigenous waratah shrub’s bright flowers, the colorful exterior panels are made of heavy-duty galvanized steel to guard from Tasmanian winds, which can reach up to 60 miles per hour.