Plant Prefab Unveils Scalable Homes for California Wildfire Victims

Architecture 25-11-2019 DWell 148

Designed by Burdge Architects, Plant Prefab’s new Sunset BUD LivingHome is an upscale, flexible, and resilient house designed for California.

The prefab can be customized and configured to the client’s liking, and it can even be outfitted with renewable energy systems such as rooftop solar panels.

Proving once again the power of prefab, Amazon-backed design and build firm Plant Prefab teamed up with Burdge Architects and Sunset magazine to unveil the Sunset BUD LivingHome (SBL)—a scalable accessory dwelling unit that’s designed to resist wildfires.

The scalable Sunset BUD LivingHome will be built with fire-resistant aluminum siding, doors, and windows. Sliding glass pocket doors create an indoor/outdoor living experience.
Plant Prefab

Malibu-based Burdge Architects designed the SBL in the wake of the 2018 Woolsey Fire, when the City of Malibu announced a streamlined approval process for fire rebuilds. Unlike most stop-gap solutions for housing wildfire victims, however, SBL units are designed with permanence in mind.

"In the midst of an ever-threatening wildfire season, the units come not only as a timely solution to those who want reinhabit their property while their primary home is rebuilt, but also as a way to add lasting property value. The impeccably-designed permanent structures can be later used as guesthouses or offices," a Plant Prefab statement reads. Plant Prefab also currently has twelve homes in development for victims of the Woolsey Fire.

The contemporary interior features engineered European oak floors from Northern Wide Plank, custom cabinetry, and a built-in Italian Murphy bed.
Courtesy of Burdge Architects

With pricing starting at $315,000, the luxury modular units will feature a contemporary design with high-end craftsmanship and durable, fire-resistant construction. Homeowners can choose from four sizes: a 445-square-foot studio, a 620-square-foot one-bedroom plus studio, a 900-square-foot two-bedroom plus studio; or a 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom plus studio and garage.