Casa SI - Iragüen Viñuela Explores the Expressive Side of Prefabricated Timber in Coastal Chile

Floor Plans

Project	Casa SI
Architecture	Iragüen Viñuela Arquitecto
Project Team	Daniel Iragüen, Claudio Viñuela, Gustavo Schweitzer, Vicente de la Maza, María José Çaldumbide, Alexa Napp, Victor Cárcamo
Structural Engineering	Roberto Stocker Lagos
Structure Provider	Timber Ingenieria
Sanitary Engineering	Marcelo Santibañez
Gas Systems	Manuel Gonzalez Ponce
Topography	Enrique Osorio
Contractor	Mario Cuevas

Perched on a gently sloping hillside near the Pacific Ocean, Casa SI is a study in restraint, structure, and warmth. Designed by Santiago-based studio Iragüen Viñuela Arquitecto, the square-shaped timber home sits on the rural outskirts of Algarrobo, a seaside town south of Valparaíso, where loose planning controls offered an unusual degree of freedom.

Central Africa’s First Modular Office Takes Shape in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Shipped from China and destined for Yaoundé’s Bastos District, Cameroon, Central Africa’s first modular office project signals a shift in how the region builds. With more than 90 percent of construction completed in a factory setting, the development combines speed, quality control, and cultural sensitivity while cutting on-site disruption in half. As the modules make their intercontinental journey, the project offers a glimpse of how modular construction could reshape urban growth across the continent.

From Factory to Ship: Modular Cabins Begin Shaping Royal Caribbean’s Next Icon Class Vessel

The construction of Royal Caribbean’s fourth Icon Class cruise ship has entered a pivotal stage with the installation of its first fully prefabricated cabins at the Meyer Turku shipyard. Built off-site as complete modular units, the cabins streamline the construction process while ensuring consistent quality at an unprecedented scale. As hull assembly continues and interior outfitting comes into focus, the vessel begins its transition from industrial structure to inhabitable floating city—one that will soon join the world’s largest cruise ships when delivered in 2027.

Inside the Industrialisation of Housing: Hong Kong–Saudi Partnership Targets 30,000 Modular Flats a Year

A Hong Kong modular construction firm is expanding into Saudi Arabia, planning a factory capable of producing 30,000 prefabricated flats annually. The move reflects Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 push toward industrialised construction, raising questions about scale, regulation, and climate-responsive modular design.

Across the Middle East, cities are rising at a scale and speed unmatched in recent history. Towering developments emerge from desert landscapes, master-planned districts take shape almost overnight, and housing demand continues to surge alongside population growth. Within this context, a quiet but consequential shift is underway—one that may redefine not only how buildings are constructed, but how urban life itself is organised.

A Hong Kong–based modular construction specialist has announced plans to establish a large-scale manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, capable of producing up to 30,000 prefabricated flats annually by 2027. The initiative reflects a growing belief that traditional construction methods alone can no longer meet the demands of rapidly expanding cities.

A Grand Design That Kept Its Promise: A Modular Eco Home Completed on Time and on Budget, England

In a television landscape defined by blown deadlines and ballooning budgets, Pete and Aey Aspdin achieved something almost mythical: a Grand Designs project that finished exactly when it was supposed to, for precisely what it was meant to cost. When Kevin McCloud stepped into the completed home, his verdict was unequivocal. The schedule had held, the numbers had stayed intact, and the craftsmanship exceeded expectations. To a presenter seasoned by decades of construction chaos, it felt like building utopia.

Modular Construction Delivers New Efficiencies for the Public Sector, Scotland

A modular construction specialist with nearly four decades of experience—and recently recognized as Northern Ireland’s second fastest-growing company in 2025—is setting its sights on expanding its footprint in Scotland. The move follows P McVey Building Systems’ appointment to the £80 million Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) Modular Buildings (MB3) framework, a milestone that signals growing confidence in modular delivery for public sector projects.

Santa Monica Launches Mass Timber Accelerator, California

SANTA MONICA— On January 4, the City of Santa Monica announced through its Facebook page the launch of the Mass Timber Accelerator, a year-long pilot program aimed at developers who want to explore the use of mass timber construction in upcoming projects.

The initiative will provide participating teams with free technical assistance to support the integration of mass timber into project designs, along with a financial incentive awarded upon successful completion of the accelerator.

Mass timber construction offers a range of advantages for Santa Monica’s building sector, including faster construction schedules, potential cost savings, reduced carbon emissions, and the opportunity to introduce warm, exposed wood aesthetics into the city’s built environment.

An Indigenous-Led Prefab Housing System Takes Root in Northern British Columbia, Canada

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Described as the first of its kind, the project reimagines how housing can be produced in northern regions. Rather than exporting raw timber and importing finished buildings, the system keeps materials, labor, and economic value within the community itself. Trees harvested from nearby lands are milled locally, transformed into mass timber panels, and assembled into complete homes in a matter of days.

Adirondack Roots Introduces Affordable Modular Homes in Keene, New York

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The four-home project, located off Route 73, was developed by Adirondack Roots, a nonprofit housing organization based in Elizabethtown. With three homes now sold, just one residence remains available.

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Governor Gavin Newsom, together with the LA Rises recovery initiative, announced the launch of a centralized website aimed at simplifying the rebuilding process for fire-affected residents. The platform connects homeowners with trusted prefabricated, modular, and on-site home builders, along with verified vendors, mortgage assistance programs, and local government resources.