AIA Presents:
Location:Santa Monica, CA
Architect:Ray Kappe, FAIA
Year Built:2006
Fact:Constructed of factory-built modules, erected on the site-built foundation in 13 hours.

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Z6 House
Rate: starstarstarstarstar Votes: 17

Z6 House

The Z6 House is a single-family residence that was added to a multifamily-zoned lot with an existing duplex. It has four bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The house serves as both a residence and a model home for a line of green, modular, single-family dwellings offered by the owner's business.

The house is constructed of factory-built modules that were erected on the site-built foundation over a period of 13 hours; the structural slab-on-grade serves as the finish floor for the first level. A roof deck offers views and a green roof with vegetation native to southern California.

This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2007. It was submitted by LivingHomes, in Santa Monica, California with Ray Kappe Architects, in Pacific Palisades, California.

Discussion
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What strikes me is that it's a very beautiful, modern house. It's a very interesting way to show that modern houses can incorporate energy savings and smart material use. Almost like going back to the idea of what modernism was intended to be–that is, very simple, straightforward, manufactured, potentially mass produced, available to everyone.

Susan S. Szenasy
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You can control the resources invested in construction and control the resources invested in fabrication–those are two huge advantages. The ability to significantly reduce the time period to produce the house on-site has a lot of implications in terms of reducing the impact of the actual construction phase on the neighborhood and the environment. Second, because the modules are prefabricated in a factory, Kappe was able to control the waste involved in the construction much more closely. This project claims a 10% waste factor which is incredibly small compared to conventional home construction.

Bill Leddy, FAIA
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