An Urban Nest: A Kansas City Prefab Home
(Page 3 of 4)
September/October 2008
By Carol Crupper
Modular1 and Modular2 also earned Project of the Year honors from Residential Architect. “These are housing strategies for real people,” one judge noted of the modular design. “Ten years from now we’re going to be in a different world. And if we don’t build neighborhoods for real people, we’re in trouble.”
Rockhill sees both the demand for these homes and the honors they earn as sending a powerful statement. “What we are finding is that modern architecture is a catalyst for change,” he says.
Longtime residents are warming up to this style, notes Jeff Fendorf of El Centro, the nonprofit that served as sponsor and community developer for Mod3. “Working with Studio 804 has given me a new appreciation of modern design,” says Fendorf, who calls himself a traditionalist. “It has also strengthened my conviction that a variety of housing styles, if well designed and built, can fit into older, more traditional neighborhoods. Good design crosses many borders and can draw much-needed positive attention, investment and new residents to inner-city neighborhoods, while preserving and enhancing their urban character.”
Fendorf and Rockhill agree that the effort takes education. One problem revolves around home valuation. In this instance, Leah and Kenny agreed to an asking price of $165,000. But with no comparable neighboring structures, the appraiser balked and so did the bank, dropping the price to $153,000.
Demand and innovation will drive this market, says Rockhill. He’s already spotted knockoffs in Kansas City and frequently fields calls from interested parties around the globe. “There is an economy of scale to this that is appealing,” he says.
The Good Stuff
■ Simple rectangular plan keeps home cost-effective and extremely efficient.
■ Elevation on piers minimizes site impact.
■ Concrete is made with fly ash, a waste product from coal-burning plants.
■ Cellulose insulation (made of recycled newspaper fibers) insulates walls, floors and ceiling cavities.
■ Operable windows allow cross ventilation.
■ Large south- and east-facing window walls maximize natural light and allow for passive solar heating.
■ EFCO Corporation curtain wall and door composed of 50 to 75 percent recycled aluminum.
■ Low-emissivity (low-E) glass reduces heat loss through windows.
■ Double-layer window shades offer additional insulation.
■ Recessed front deck shades living space.
■ Bedroom and hallway windows use argon-filled, low-E annealed glass.
■ Polygal interior clerestory allows natural light deep into partitioned rooms.
■ Bamboo flooring with nontoxic glue used throughout interior.
■ Kitchen backsplash is fabricated from recycled aluminum.
■ Heating and cooling system is energy-efficient.