Words matter and the words that are used to identify the current off-site construction methods are insufficient by definition, and tainted by association. Here at Bensonwood and Unity Homes, we have long been uncomfortable with the terms used for off-site building fabrication methods. It’s usually either “modular” or “prefab,” and both have muddy meaning because … Continue reading Montage Homebuilding
I recently had an interview with freelance writer, Kiva Bottero. During the interview, we talked first about Open Building and our Open-Built “operating system,” and then went on to discuss our new Unity Homes company. Kiva has reported on portions of the interview in Green Building Canada as well as in his blog Green Home … Continue reading Open Building Now!
Newsletter Home Bensonwood Home Nestled in the front range of the Rocky Mountains, Estes Park sits at an elevation of 7,522 feet, considerably higher than the highest point in New England, the summit of Mt.Washington. But for one Estes Park homebuyer, New Hampshire-based Bensonwood—with its production facilities 7,000 ft closer to sea level and … Continue reading Bensonwood “Bath Pods” Land in the Rockies
Newsletter Home Bensonwood Home Adèle Naudeé Santos, internationally-renowned urban design authority and dean of MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P), recently toured Bensonwood’s facilities with Tedd Benson and some of our associates to see her custom, high-performance green home being fabricated. Bensonwood has been fortunate to work with many prominent design professionals, including … Continue reading MIT Architecture Dean Adèle Santos Tours Bensonwood to See Her New Home
When I previously wrote about Montage Homebuilding, I explained why I am no fan of the terms prefab and modular. They represent different objectives and methods in off-site building systems, but both suffer from deep blemishes brought on by their flawed legacies. I therefore announced a new name for our unique off-site fabrication system, which has … Continue reading Give Up On Prefab?
This post continues my interview with Kiva Bottero, freelance writer. The first part was about Open Building. In this part, Kiva wanted to know more about Unity Homes, and how Open Building and some of our objectives would play out with that initiative. I am grateful for Kiva’s good questions and the opportunity to expand on … Continue reading A Better Standard