Prefab Prototypes: Site-Specific Design for Offsite Construction (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "We have often said that our main interest in construction is tools and trucks..." (more)
Key Phrases: offsite fabrication, topping slab, steel skin, Prefab Prototypes, Parts List, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

A thoughtful analysis of standardized building ... The illustrations are a standout-from full-page photos to elegant drawings, exploded perspectives, and parts lists that elucidate the buildings' components. -- Residential Architect, July 2007

This handsome portfolio showcases the Andersons' own proposed and executed projects of the last dozen years, most of them single- and multiple-family dwellings... -- Library Journal, Feb. 15, 2007

Product Description

Prefabricated construction is a hot topic in architecture these days, and for good reason. Prospective homebuilders around the world are gravitating to prefab as an environ-mentally responsible and cost-effective way to achieve that holiest of grails: an affordable, well-designed house. If you're hoping to jump onto this bandwagon or are just interested in what prefab building really entails, Prefab Prototypes is required reading. While other prefab books on the market show what can be done, dangling pretty pictures of affordable homes before your starry eyes, Prefab Prototypes takes you to the next step—it shows you how. Architects Mark Anderson and Peter Anderson have been working with prefab buildings for more than fifteen years. With Prefab Prototypes, they break prefab down into six systems, from most flexible to most complicated—panelized wood framing, sandwich paneling, steel framing, timber framing, concrete systems, and modular systems. Each chapter delves into the benefits and drawbacks of its respective method, and features detailed plans, sections, and photographs of projects they've completed that use each of these systems. The resulting book is both a lush depiction of their prefab output as well as an in-depth analysis that will prepare you for taking the plunge into prefab building. If you're familiar with the prefab trend and want to graduate to the next level, Prefab Prototypes is your guide.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 1 edition (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568985606
• ISBN-13: 978-1568985602
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #513,270 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Clear, February 15, 2007

By	Rory J. Carroll (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book goes above and beyond the typical prefab picture book. The images are not only compelling but are informative in a way that brings clarity to someone who wants to have a better understanding of how prefabrication actually works. The Andreson's passion for design, experimentation, and progress is truly inspiring. As a young professional it is good to see a smaller firm doing interesting work. The book is very detailed, and provides clear diagrams of connections and materials. You can see very easily how it all comes together. The one thing I would have liked to know more about is (on a project by project basis) how exactly the prefabrication process takes place. It is not clear how the architect and prefabricators interact as far as collaborating on a set of documents that gets the building or project built. Perhaps that is thier proprietary secret, or perhaps it is too boring for a handsome architecture book. You can only put so much information in one book, and this one is filled to the brim.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drawings good enough to eat., January 24, 2007

By	Eric M. Spletzer - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is gorgeous. Excellently written with amazing axonometric drawings of provocative projects. In a word, the drawings are luscious. It's no wonder these guys are winning competitions left and right.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Craft and Cordination, May 7, 2007

By	Zachary E. Smith "Evans Leigh" (Fort Myers, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The craft of this book is as enhancing as many other that have won awards over the past decades. I personally have been trained to view things at the tectonic level and the technical pages coordinate wonderfully with the graphic pages. The Andersons have a very nice way of depicting there key elements within each project.

If you're looking for some precedents of Pre-Fabrication projects that literally are site specific, modular, green and even custom this is a perfect book and you will be very happy with your investment. From the choice of colors to how they label the diagrams makes understanding the project very nice.

Good job and thanks