5 Projects That Illustrate the Huge Potential of Prefab

Prefabrication is not a new idea for architects, but its usage is arguably on the rise. Using prefabricated materials can keep your costs down, as well as make your project more sustainable and efficient. But for this to happen, there must be a defined process of construction, which respects the architectural intent and integrates the entire structure with the building’s facilities. This way, the work can be carried out in the shortest time possible, and the cost of labor and maintenance is reduced, as is the waste of materials.

The five designs selected below adopt prefabricated materials and demonstrate the benefits that it brings to the creative design strategy. Read on to see what each of their architects said about their prefabrication strategy.

Nova Casa Triângulo / Metro Arquitetos Associados

“Materials have been selected for their efficiency at the detailing stage, either because they were prefabricated or did not require excessive finishing during construction. The polycarbonate and cement panels used on the external facade and in the lining of the main exhibition area, together with the expanded steel grills covering the ceiling, are examples of such materials.”

#48 Zero Energia / Skilpod + UAU Collective

“After building a lot of prototype buildings (Steel framing, wood skillet, eps building, steel-wood combo, (…) they came into contact with CLT: Cross Laminated Timber. CLT is not cheap, but for our application it was a great construction method: extremely strong, good thermal properties, fast production, almost no cold bridges, easy to transport, stable construction (like lifting with cranes) and also it comes already in very nice interior finishing’s (so no need for plaster which easily cracks).”

Refúgio em Finca Aguy / MAPA

“Prefab Houses are produced in a controlled environment and carefully made. They are born in a factory and taken to their final destination.”

Casa de Madeira / Estudio Borrachia

“This house offers not only the response to a timely and specific problem of your design and construction but also for studying the verification of a series of investigations that are carrying out for some years on the implementation of systems prefabricated dry low cost, quick realization.”

Estúdio Madalena / Apiacás Arquitetos

“The construction had the available budget as the main premise. To this end, we followed the construction method of the office’s recent work in the same neighborhood: Bar Mundial (World Bar) was built with metal structures and prefabricated concrete panels, which accelerated the time for executing the work. This prefabrication system with concrete elements was developed by our office in order to subvert the use of a material widely applied in Brazil. Often used for concreting massive slabs, the panels were used here in the sealing of the building, in pairs giving form to hollow walls executed in 25 cm wide strips with variable height.”