Architecture for digital prefabrication

September 2008 issue of Architectural Record has a continuing education unit on "Some Assembly Required" on the advantages and challenges of prefabrication with an emphasis on digital tools used in design. This discusses the five demonstration houses for the exhibition Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Unlike the poorly executed web sites about the exhibition by MOMA and by the architects, the AR learning module is a work of clarity.

1. Cellophane House: Stephen Kieran, FAIA, and James Timberlake, KieranTimberlake Associates KTA; transportable aluminium modules with PET skin,
2. Digitally Fabricated Housing for New Orleans: MIT developed house of computer cut plywood and high-density polyethylene sheets,
3. BURST*008: Jeremy Edmiston and Douglas Gauthier; computer cut plywood ribs clad with structural insulated panels,
4. SYSTEM3: Oskar Leo Kaufmann and Albert Rüf, house designed to be delivered in two shipping containers.
5. Micro Compact Home (MCH): Richard Hordenand Haack + Höpfner Architects, one container sized home.