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The weekend retreat is a welcome respite from the hustle of Mexico City.

For Gabriel Ramirez and his partner Sarah Mason Williams, following the Sea Ranch rules—local covenants guide new designs—didn’t mean slipping into Sea Ranch clichés. The architects love Cor-Ten steel, with its ruddy and almost organic surface, and they made it the main exterior material, along with board-formed concrete and ipe wood. The Cor-Ten, which quickly turned an autumnal rust in the sea air, and the concrete, with its grain and crannies, mean the house isn’t a pristine box, Ramirez says. His Neutra house “was very crisp and clean,” he says. “This house is more distressed, more wabi-sabi.”

This chalet-style, A-frame roof extends straight into the ground. A band of stone wraps around the residence and visually integrates the home with its natural surroundings. Set against a stunning mountain backdrop, the home originally designed in 1958 has been completely reimagined and updated by its current owners. The owners enjoyed the process of renovating the architecturally significant property, which included a fun, tropical-themed wet bar, a stylish and updated kitchen with a waterfall countertop, and a well-concealed Murphy bed in the living room

The double-height living space is anchored by a wood-burning stove by Lopi in the corner. The large east-facing window on the far wall floods the room with magical morning light. All the windows and doors are by Quantum.

Warm light emitted through the expansive windows lets the home glow warmly against the mountain and forested setting.

Builders, developers, designers, and architects have developed a range of homes that are composed of prefabricated, modular, or kit-of-parts pieces that can allow for lower costs, faster and easier on-site construction, and even higher quality spaces. Here, we delve into the differences—and similarities—among these manufactured residences.

Iniö has a high-ceilinged terrace, and is fitted with generous floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and dining area that bring in plenty of natural light.

“It’s the biggest one you can get,” says Patrick Powers of the shipping container he revamped and moved to Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Steel frames hold ample glazing, including a pair of custom 2,000-pound sliding doors.

Cabin Nordmarka, 2006.

Updating the A-frame of yore, this home’s liberal use of windows makes the most of panoramic views spanning two valleys. Catalonia, Spain. Cadaval & Sola-Morales from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Large sliding glass doors allow daylight to fill the living room. Smaller windows are placed in the kitchen area and the sleeping loft. The exterior is clad in heart pine which needs very little up-keep and is known for its strength and hardness.

"Our favorite room of the new FUSE might be the one that's outside… the large covered porch!"

Corrugated Cor-Ten steel clads the entryway that connects the two cedar-clad wings.

Winner of the 2011 Log House of the Year Award, the 1,206-square-meter Lokki, which was designed by as architect Kari Lappalainen and furnished by interior designer Hanni Koroma, has an inverted pitch roof that’s inspired by seagull wings.

The C6 is one of LivingHomes' most popular models. Coming in at 1,232 square feet, this LivingHome offers a comfortable living space for a relatively low cost.

Architect Charlie Lazor opted for a wash of black on the prefab cabin he designed on Madeline Island, Wisconsin.

This 191-square-foot cabin near Vancouver and its glass facades "forces you to engage with the bigger landscape," architect Tom Kundig says, but it seals up tight when its owner is away. The unfinished steel cladding slides over the windows, turning it into a protected bunker. Read the full story here.

Wheelhaus founder and CEO Jamie Mackay creates prefabs with the same quality and durability of the log cabins he grew up with, while also incorporating his values of green production and modern design. Although it takes about four months to construct his prefabricated properties, it takes about a week for the home to be delivered, and then three to five days for the house to be set up on site.