Kithaus at Design Within Reach
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 02. 7.08
There has been a proliferation of garden shed designs recently; they are a great way to get more space without permanently adding on to your house, and can be a great place to work, work out or just get away from everything. They also often do not need building permits or zoning permissions. (for more information on the concept, visit UK site Shedworking; it is an art over there).
Kithaus, designed by Tom Sandonato and Martin Wehmann, is one of the lovelier units, and it is now available at Design Within Reach. This is fulfilling the promise of prefab: Architecture as industrial design, available to anyone off the shelf at any time. Architecture as product instead of service, possibly the future and salvation of the profession. Starts at $29,500 ($ 250 PSF), $44,900 as shown, without shipping or installation.
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Aric Chen says in the New York Times: "Starting today, the Kithaus, an instant freestanding room manufactured by a Southern California company of the same name, is available through Design Within Reach. The 9-by-13-foot aluminum structure has a clean, modern look, with decking, louvers, canopies and interior finishes made of sustainably harvested ipe. Insulated and wired for electricity, it ships flat in four to six weeks, ready to be assembled for any number of uses." ::New York Times
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I want this to be my house. Like, my whole house [although it's a bit small even for the most conservative people]. It seems a bit expensive, though. But I have no idea what an appropriate pricing for something like this would be. Is it expensive?
$300-400 PER SF!! If that's what passes for "design within reach", I'll pass. I could get a shed made of local (sustainably harvested) wood for about $25/sf INCLUDING local delivery and construction! (along with some nice windows and doors!)