For the last 20 years, home builders, designers and dwellers have watched the construction of manufactured, or prefabricated, homes change from quick, basic and temporary to ultra-hip, eco-friendly and sustainable.

Taking a multifaceted look at this progression is a the New York Museum of Modern Art's latest exhibit “Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling," which will showcase the historic and modern elements of the prefab housing evolution. Opening on July 20, the exhibit will feature 60 projects within the museum as well as the construction of five full-scale houses on the streets of Manhattan, outside and west of the museum. “Home Delivery” will take visitors on a tour of not only the history of prefab design and construction but also of the issues surrounding the building technique, such as mass production, sustainability and portability.

Barry Bergdoll, the museum’s chief curator of architecture and design, recently told The New York Times about why the MoMA decided to present prefabricated houses as an art instillation:

“Home Delivery” offered the perfect opportunity to bring together architects’ current interest in digital fabrication with the general public’s nostalgia for Modernist prefab designs, and to do an exhibition that was both contemporary and historical at the same time…As Bergdoll [explained], “I’m very interested in process — how architects work, how they solve problems and how they adapt to new technologies — not just ‘Isn’t this cool?’

As we’ve written before, 21st century prefab has come a long way from its strictly utilitarian beginnings. Fabulous prefab of the new millennium continues to impress us with its capacity to combine two ideas we love: smart urban design and ecological ingenuity. The movement to make prefab more sustainable will only further its ability to stylishly create both density and affordability, and integrate innovative building techniques such as natural ventilation and green roofing.

Check out some examples of fabulous Aussie prefab here, and shots of the upcoming MoMA exhibit from the New York Times here.

Photo credit:Richard Barnes for New York Times Magazine

You now the American Indians on various reservations are looking to replace their devastated mobile homes from recent storms and want to go directly to eco-friendly, sustainable homes. Perhaps you could donate some to cover the 5000+ people desperately needing them?

Posted by: David on July 17, 2008 2:35 PM

You know the American Indians on various reservations are looking to replace their devastated mobile homes from recent storms and want to go directly to eco-friendly, sustainable homes. Perhaps you could donate some to cover the 5000+ people desperately needing them?

Posted by: David on July 17, 2008 2:36 PM

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