Summer 2009
Prefab 2020* Competition
400 square feet
Teammates: Nathan Chow, Vania Musa

/Iro/ a highly adaptable prefabricated urban living home. To live and work in proximity may be the kind of lifestyle urbanites cannot practice when they cannot find places to rent or purchase—no vacancy. /Iro/ makes short-term urban living possible when no other developments can be made. /Iro/ can be fabricated locally or shipped to the site location via a single standard 20 feet ISO container. The assembly can be accomplished by local construction trades quickly and efficiently. In urban spaces otherwise considered wasted or out-of-reach, /Iro/ can make it home. The hexagonal envelope allows various stacking options to contour and clear urban obstacles and has adjustable stilts to ensure stability when not connected to neighboring /Iro/ prefab homes. These homes can stand independently or nestle together to form a community that can share resources.

Recent Press:
TechNow.pl (Polish)
Eco Homes
Cube Me
The Express Art Blog
Tec.nologia.com

The design of the wall panels facilitates easy customization options for fenestrations and add-ons such as photoelectric panels or local materials available near the site. The exterior triangular panels provide movable shading and privacy guards. Sliding doors for the entrance and roof garden save space to allow more activity inside. Water and electricity can be connected to the grid or accessory exterior cisterns can be added to supplement water needs by collecting rainwater. As small urban home, electricity not generated by /Iro/ must be tapped from the city. The urban lifestyle does not require the usual home appliances where personal services can be obtained—for example, laundry and dining. The kitchen permits simple cooking only as it is suited to the lifestyle of urbanites who may tend to dine out more often. /Iro/ offers a cozy environment to work and sleep. Entertainment is just outside the door. Simple and straight-forward is key to /Iro/.