Swellhouse by Jennifer Siegel Built in Venice
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.13.07
We lovingly devote a lot of pixels to Jennifer Siegel and the Office of Mobile Design; while others talk prefab she builds showhouses and sustainable portables and Seatrain houses out of containers. Now she has completed a Swellhouse in Venice, California, covered by Inhabitat.
The three bedroom, 1882 square foot main house "combines earth-friendly technologies with cost-effective prefabrication methods. Using a panelized system of parts, the Swellhouse streamlines the building process and reduces site waste associated with tradtional construction."
It also eliminates the need for prefab factories, big trucks and any special approvals. The house appears to have a steel frame on the ground floor (this is earthquake country and the house needs strong moment connections); the steel also permits the large swathes of glazing on the ground floor. Cladding is made of interlocking SIPs (structural insulated panels) which are thermally terrific and go together with no waste. We see what looks like a glu-lam beam across the ceiling of the second floor. ::Inhabitat
