News

Panelization versus Prefabrication

Process—————3 September 2014

Prefabricated buildings have been in and out of fashion since World War II. Today, we are still riding a prefab high, even though, in a residential context, prefab can often be more expensive than promised. Many “prefabricated” houses are still custom designed units, assembled in a factory-controlled environment, and completed on site. The expenses of site, foundations and utilities are the same as a site-built house. Often, labor ends up being the same or greater as contractors who are familiar with site-built techniques struggle to learn a new system.

Diverging from the comprehensive prefab approach, our studio recently completed a house with a hybrid of prefab and site-built strategies. The client asked us to design a home bound by existing foundations. We decided to use prefabricated building framing components and a panelization system. The building walls and floors are designed in panel modules, fabricated in a factory, stacked on a flat-bed truck, and then tilted and fastened together on site.

The project is located in a dense neighborhood and the house perimeter already maximized the allowable lot occupancy. So, the question became how height, floor quantities, bay windows, decks, and other appendages could transform and expand the livable area of the home. We contoured a new home to the limit of the allowable building envelope. Panelization allowed us to keep costs down, speed construction, and maximize the value of the home. 

More News

Bringing Education to Underserved Communities: Philip’s Academy’s Purpose

24 September 2024

Studio 27 is thrilled to announce we’ve reached the finish line on the transformation of a vacant manufacturing site into a progressive new K-8 campus for the Philip’s Academy Charter School

Keep Reading

Renewable vs. Sustainable Energy: Key Differences Explained

13 September 2024

Incorporating them In a world where sustainable and renewable energy sources are becoming more critical for the environment's future with each passing day, the need to incorporate them into building

Keep Reading

Soon-to-be-open Beaverdam Reservoir Park makes connections between ecological health, human health, and recreation

19 August 2024

Beaverdam Reservoir Park’s design intent is centered around creating connections between ecological health, human health, and recreation. The buildings, walking trails, and landscaping work with

Keep Reading

Studio 27 Celebrates Philip’s Academy Charter School of Paterson, NJ Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

9 July 2024

Studio 27 is thrilled to announce we’ve reached the finish line on the transformation of a vacant manufacturing site into a progressive new K-8 campus. On June 5, 2024, Philip’s Academy Charter

Keep Reading

Breathing New Life into History: Renovation Solutions for Historic Buildings

3 June 2024

Preserving historic buildings offers architects and designers a rich tapestry of challenges and opportunities that set it apart from other project typologies. Historic preservation holds profound

Keep Reading