The bedroom is outfitted with only the basics.

LA-MÁS, Backyard Basics: An Alternative Story of the Granny Flat LA-Más will propose a collective approach to housing in Elysian Valley. Our vision is to write an alternative history for the future of the neighborhood that will serve as a resident-led and resident-owned model for low-rise high-density housing. The project will critically engage lot-lines and speculative buildable space at the air-rights level to envision new territories for low-density development. By utilizing the neighborhood’s existing buildable space, we will propose an architectural strategy that realizes the needs of Elysian Valley through cooperative development, combined entitlements, consolidated services, re-consideration of permitted granny flats, and other various opportunities that are possible only through a collective community approach.

The past can be intimidating for architects working in older cities with limited examples of contemporary design, but Adam Sokol has managed to push a new look forward in Buffalo, New York, with his Birdhouse. Completed in 2011, the residence replaces a vacant lot on Bird Avenue—a rare opportunity for new construction in a healthy neighborhood defined by its collection of century-old infrastructure.

Greiner Hall at University of Buffalo, designed by Cannon Design, boasts floor tiling made from recycled soda bottles, man-made ponds for recycling greywater, electrical outlets that are wheelchair-height accessible, and lounge-style classrooms and meeting areas.

Nodding to the bay windows so common in San Francisco, the AetherSF shop's second in the stack of three shipping containers cantilevers out over the entry not only to provide a bit of shelter from a rainy night, but also to permit an expansive view of the neighborhood from the second floor lounge.

Last night, January 23rd, Dwell and Aether Apparel teamed up for the Dwell Conversation Prefab's Progress. We were joined by a two architects, a metal fabricator, and a prefab entrepreneur to talk about how prefabricated architecture can solve the problems presented by difficult sites.

Douglas Burnham, principal of Envelope A+D, and designer of the AetherSF shop describes how the trio of shipping containers are connected by just four bolts, making them entirely mobile. Because the buildings at the Proxy are intended to be temporary—San Francisco has designated the lot for mixed-income housing when it has the capacity to build—Burnham and his colleagues faced a difficult site not in terms of topography, but in terms of time.

Seth Krubiner (plaid shirt) and Benjamin Parco (black blazer) describe how they used prefab tools to build a pair of Bay Area Houses. Krubiner is a founder of Simpatico Homes and lives in the firm's prototype house in Emeryville, California. A hybrid site-built and modular system, Simpatico Homes build as much as they can in the factory but as Krubiner argued, certain elements (like the garage) are better done on-site. Parco designed a panelized prefab system for a house high in the Berkeley Hills, too high for a big truck and a crane to move a modular solution to the site.

At just nine feet wide, AetherSF succeeds by being a vertical store. A customized dry-cleaner's conveyor belt hoists tons of jackets tens of feet into the sky, essentially suspending the shop's inventory.

Rather an informal talk, Deputy Editor Aaron Britt (in the tie) moderated a talk about prefab design with (from left) architect Benjamin Parco, Seth Krubiner of Simpatico Homes, architect Douglas Burnham, and metalworker Chris French. Here French describes how his long experience doing custom metalwork allowed him to avoid a trial-and-error approach to the Aether interior.

Since Marble Basics creates small decorative items, they maintain an accessible price point despite an expensive material.

“We draw inspiration from artists like James Turrell or Donald Judd, who understand color and form in an advanced way. Or even Raf Simons. We're definitely pulling inspiration from various mediums.” founder Nick Cope says. The couple reviews materials in the Brooklyn-based studio.

Ayah Bdeir founded littleBits in 2011. The company produces a library of electronic modules that can be used to create all manner of devices, like a remote-controlled fish feeder and weather monitor.

Though few of us employ personal shoppers, we all make personal use of dressers. The unflappable fashionistas of Go Fug Yourself assess these modern dressers and weigh in on the well played and the played out.

Curated founder Delta Wright.

Treehugger founder Graham Hill with Dwell founder Lara Deam and David Friedlander

A four-zone variable-air-volume air-to-air mechanical system ensures maximum energy savings by only conditioning and distributing air on an as-needed basis to individual spaces within the house. GRoW’s monitoring system allows residents to track temperature, humidity, and electricity use via an online portal.

With 34 years of experience selling dinnerware, Bob Page is an authority on consumer trends. Younger shoppers aren’t buying less, he observes, but they are gravitating toward simpler designs.

Drawing on the textile business of Charleston, where J|Geiger is based, James Geiger is constantly experimenting with new applications of the shading technology. The brand's shades can be found in modern residences around the country.

Cloth and Goods founder Melissa Newirth.

Houston’s Buffalo Bayou was once so polluted that an annual canoe race was nicknamed the “Reeking Regatta.”

Frank Vafaee, founder and CEO of Proto Homes.

Greensburg GreenTown founders Wallach and Catherine Hart. Though they live 35 miles from Greensburg, the two became intimately involved in the rebuilding efforts as a friend of the town; both were close with Greensburg residents and had started a natural foods co-op nearby that several Greensburg families were a part of before the tornado.

Peter Williams, a Jamaican-born architect, understands that architecture and design, when used in the right way, can promote longer, healthier lives among residents of developing countries. Williams will present his unique approach onstage.

Katherine North, principal and founder of Northbrook Design.

Drikolor founder Rachel Lacy, photographed with Hanna Lacy in studio.

Architecture and interior photographer Marc Gerritsen went back to basics when he designed this minimalist concrete house that you can rent through Airbnb.

The Buffalo Evening News, watercolor by Dr. V. Roger Lalli.

Developer Chris Sally has been known to have conversations with passersby from his “cigar-smoking balcony.”

Anatomic Global CEO and WorldBed founder David Farley.

Long before it was in vogue to do so, Susan Weber founded $20 million to found The Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, Material Culture (BGC), at the time on of the view pillars of decorative arts. Read about how the center has progressed, the continual popularity of mid-century design, and more.

Haptic Lab continues to expand its offerings, including its new coastal quilt series, which will feature even more designs for the holiday season. Says the designer, “I want to privilege the real, physical world our bodies occupy through design; to make someone put down their iPhone for a moment, to play, and to experience a profound feeling of embodiment.”

“I want to see more Sill stores,” says Blank (seen here), who was inspired to create her own line of planters after being disappointed with the lack of functional, design-forward options on the market.

In the summer months, the Growlarium (the intermediary space seen here) acts as a thermal buffer between the outdoor heat and the actively conditioned interior space. During the winter, it serves as a greenhouse. Per the focus on self-sufficiency, the UB Team worked with a local grower to plant everything from okra to eggplant.