Customer Reviews

Prefab Modern

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I fully agree with one reviewer's (shawn murphy) comments. This book serves really good as a catalogue of what's available on the market right now (though not comprehensive enough). In general, the text focuses on customers' perspective, not from an architect's lense. Hence, you will know what you will get if you order these houses, but not enough information about the design philosophy and creative ideas behind these products. You can just pick up this book and skim through it at a bookstore. Write down the names of the houses and architects you are interested. Then google them for more information.

For example, I am really interested in the cool Bombala Farmhouse on page 102, and two other houses designed by Collins & Turner. However, the text in the book did not tell me a lot about these designes. You can find more information on the architects' website.

Another example: On page 122-123, the author described the House in the Woods designed by Resolution:4 Architecture. In fact, this very house is the winner of Dwell magazine's 1st Dwell Home Design Competition. You can find more detailed and thoughtful reports about this prefab design in two issues of the Dwell magazine (Oct/Nov 2004, and Dec 2004).

That being said, the book also has several strengths. It does provide a lot of information considering the number of prefab houses and the future designs or concept houses featured in the book. The section of "constructing prefab" is informative, too. Overall, it is an okay book (maybe 3.5 star is a more appropriate rating). But, if you are a serious reader about prefab architecture, this is not a valuable book to purchase and collect for you library.

I was disappointed with this book. It includes profiles of 15 architectural firms. Seven of those profiles were of firms that have done one-off architect-designed homes made largely of pre-existing materials (usually shipping containers). That is not my definition of a prefab house. To me, a prefab house is one that I can order to be built on my lot. Of the eight firms that offer prefab houses, for three of them only computer-generated images were presented (not photos of real houses). That leaves only five firms offering prefab houses ready for market. Of those, one builds 10 houses per year in Finland. Another is in Australia. Two offer only really small homes (generally intended as second homes).

The book does include (small) design plans and many photos for most of the houses. However, the fact that very few of those homes are available for me to purchase makes the book almost useless.
[...]

For anyone new to this subject matter this book is a basic starting point. However the more you learn about the topic from other sources the more you realize this book is just lightweight fluff. This was simply opportunistic publishing of a coffee table book while the topic was hot. The author has little expertise in the subject matter (is she a contract writer? - her previous book was about tiles) and the book reads like breathless brochureware. If you want to research the topic for free check out the great web site fabprefab.com which predates this book and is frequently updated. Also there are other great books on prefab such as Colin Davies The Prefabricated Home.

I was underwelmed with this one. Somehow this book looks like it was researched thinly via the internet (entirely perhaps), it most certainly relies on re-using existing projects recently published and offers very little, if anything in the way of new dialogue here. Is this an interesting catagory? Yes, most certainly. ... Is this book adding anything to the discussion? Im afraid not.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough...if you are interested in actually seeing livable houses that are prefab, this is the book for you. There are other books; but they are scholarly explanations of the genre. This book, just published, has incredible up to date information on about 50 houses you can order online(!)--today. And there's every style for every taste. For a full-time house, or especially for the weekender, these houses are perfect: Affordable and gorgeous. The design of the book really showcases how each house looks inside and out. If you want to live prefab, this is THE book for you.

The reviewers who gave this book a one star are looking at the wrong book. I dropped by the book store today to look at this book and "Prefab" by Bryan Burkhart and Allison Arieff. Let me tell you something, THAT book deserves a one star. Many of the designers in the Prefab book are also in the Prefab Modern with exactly the same photos except Prefab Modern has more of them. The thing I liked about Prefab Modern is that it actually shows you the floorplans for many of the designs which helps a lot.

as a new-to-prefab lay researcher, i loved this book. a friend passed it on to me after we were all chatting about building our "dream houses."
it gives a basic survey of different types of prefab, from modest to elaborate, and creative diversions in between. i found it an inspirational starting point to daydreaming about fun prefab modern living. the source lists are helpful as well. enjoy!

Beautiful book with impressive photos and info on contemporary and cutting edge designs in prefab home. Great sampling of the most modern designs and some info about them. Could have been more detail on the homes.

Book was a bit knocked around on the cover but generally OK and just the info I wanted. Fast efficient service!

Very good book with some NEW ideas..one of the better ones which remains pleasant & accessible to non-professionals.