Alchemy Architects on making prefabricated housing a reality

Scott Ervin - Alchemy Architects

Ideas of pre-fabricated housing have seen a recent resurgence in popularity, but with the weeHouse, Alchemy Architects has created a formula that is providing some of the only successful real world results in the country. By utilizing existing building systems in new and innovative ways, Alchemy Architects focuses on creating simple and efficient pre-fabricated housing that brings modern design to the broadest possible audience. Thinking forward, they are discovering vast new potentials for prefabricated housing on a not so wee scale.

Recorded on May 2nd, 2007 at Solutions Volume 1 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Category:

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Tags:

• Alchemy
• Architects
• Solutions
• Twin
• Cities
• v1
• weeHouse
• prefabricated
• housing

[stevenapoleon]

We can build cars that are way more complicated than homes. Why are our homes built like the 1890`s ? suppliers dropping off 2x 4`s with plumbers waiting for electricity? All homes should be like RV or truck factory built. Parts come in one door on racks. Then finished units out the back door. It is cleaner, smarter and economic not to mention green as heck.

[dangerdon31]

@cquerales I manufactured these container type housing appications in Africa and it definitly going to get bigger faster than we know :)

[ThinkStage]

Very cool

To see more innovative videos like this or want to share your own ideas visit ThinkStageDOTcom

[2009rogera]

@stevenapoleon Whether or not prefabricated homes are "green" depends on the amount of embodied energy in the materials used and the efficiency of the materials used in the structural support and finishes, as well as the efficiency of any electric heating/cooling. If for example locally sourced timber was used (which has low embodied energy) and the structure was as simple as could possibly hold up the loads, while being designed to naturally regulate it's temperate using wind and sun, all good

[army7989]

is a house like thise good or bad and is it safe and energy efficiant plus very cheap to buy on a fixed income with very bad credit?

[TheYpsigirl]

We wondered for a long time what this person was building on our road it is this

it is long not wide with tons of windows

[bighands69]

@hawker800FO

To Reroute a service with current design mechanism is not easy weather it is mechanical or electrical services as no containment areas are alike.

Some containment areas are easy to access and allow for an efficient re-servicing of systems but not all are.

I am a building service technician who has progressed my studies to a PHD and I have also carried research in various fields of science and technology, and economic analysis.

[hawker800FO]

@bighands69 i dont think you have ever plumbed or wired anything, its extremely easy to re route a wire instead of moving the plumbing and most houses only run 1/2 inch copper and some houses dont even run copper anymore. I think your one of the people given the chance would wirer your house with aluminum

[bighands69]

@nsx1com

It is not easier if some one has just used your containment that should have wires there.

but instead you get a hot pipe that will not enable cable runs.

[bighands69]

@stevenapoleon

And just to add to what you are saying it could also be possible to change the components in these properties like changing the part in a car.

If more modern components are developed it would be possible to incorporated these for efficiency.

With the application of information based sciences with definable methodology it would be possible to constantly improve modular performance as well as production performance. meaning cheaper and more efficient systems.

[bighands69]

@stevenapoleon

And just to add to what you are saying it could also be possible to change the components in these properties like changing the part in a car.

If more modern panels are developed it could be incorporated as well as fixtures.

With the application of information based sciences with definable methodology it would be possible to constantly improve modular performance as well as production performance.

meaning cheaper and more efficient systems.