OpenHome Debuts Cutting-Edge Prefab Houses Designed by World-Class Architects

"People don’t build as many bespoke homes as they used to," says architect Matt Krissel, a partner at KieranTimberlake. That’s why the firm has teamed up with Bensonwood and Lake|Flato to launch OpenHome—a new system for constructing quality, customizable prefab homes for anyone, anywhere.

OpenHome lets buyers choose between three design systems—one from each architecture firm—which can be customized with different layouts and components. Like traditional building, clients work with an assigned architect and a builder on a plan. Once that plan is in place, the bulk of construction happens in a New Hampshire factory, and then the parts are shipped to the build site for completion.

It makes for quick work—and little, if anything, is sacrificed in the expedience. "These designs raise the ante for what a home should be," assures Tedd Benson, owner of timber frame house company Bensonwood. "From stairs, to energy efficiency, to cabinetry—we’re taking craftsmanship to the highest level." The panelized system is "passive house ready,"  so homeowners can easily pursue low-impact builds.

The system’s litmus test took place during a New York winter in 2008. At an upstate build site, Lake|Flato and Bensonwood implemented prefab panels in conjunction with heavy timber framing, working through challenging conditions to complete a home in a relatively quick eight months. That project connected the dots between design, fabrication, and construction.