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Seattle architecture firm Wittman Estes used its new modular prefab system to built a prototype on Whidbey Island in Washington for a family that loves the outdoors.

Architect Gabriele Mary Ann Schicketanz designed a modular compound in Carmel-by-the-Sea to house her son’s family and her own, offering a cost-effective alternative to the area’s $2–3 million homes. Placed on a nearly five-acre lot beneath old oaks, the project includes a three-bedroom main house, a freestanding ADU, and a site-built garage, all oriented for views and privacy.

The prefab design utilizes a pin foundation system that reduces the project’s carbon footprint by 77 percent, says Wittman.

The pilot home on Whidbey Island demonstrates the system’s potential: a 600-square-foot interior paired with nearly equal covered outdoor space, set lightly on a pin foundation that protects tree roots and cuts carbon by 77 percent. "Puzzle Prefab can be modified according to each site,

Tucked into one end of the garage, a potting area is a favorite of Joan, who is an avid gardener and plant lover. The design team used leftover cedar from the ceilings to create the work surface.

The open-plan public zone, which includes the kitchen, dining area, and living room, looks out onto the back patio, where the dining table is often wheeled in the summer for al fresco meals. Ken and Joan regularly have 10-20 guests over, so she requested enough space in the dining area to put another table if needed.

In the primary bathroom, a simple palette of concrete floors and dark-stained cedar falls to the background, allowing the trees and stumps outside—seen through a purposefully placed window—to take center stage.

The living room could feature a roaring fire as a focal point. The metalwork for the wood stove and venting cost about $13,000.

The main room's cathedral ceilings reach 30 feet high.

On a nearly five-acre parcel near Carmel, California, architect Gabriele Mary Ann Schicketanz used modular units from Method Homes to create a custom residential property for herself and her son’s family.

'Betasso Overlook' is aptly named for its view of Betasso Nature Preserve, 1,100 acres of single-track trails through ponderosa pine forest, granite rock outcroppings, and summertime wildflowers.

A wood-burning fireplace in Stable Conversion creates a sense of home. The project by SHED Architecture + Design is full of light and intended as a flexible space for guests, a home office, or a creative space.

At one end of the house is the primary bedroom, which enjoys floor-to-ceiling glass views and its own porch.

The windows and doors are by Solar Innovations, with pale wood flooring by Sawyer Mason, a Wittus fireplace, and Muuto sofas.

The home is perched on a rise on the property to enjoy the forest views.

In the main bedroom, linens are by Morrow soft goods and the rug is from Armadillo & Co.

A 12-foot-wide sliding pocket wall opens the living/dining area to a spacious terrace.