Boxable Casita Prefabricated Home

The Boxabl Casita is a revolutionary prefabricated modular home designed to redefine the concept of modern housing. Built for fast deployment, high energy efficiency, and long-term durability, the Casita is a compact yet luxurious dwelling perfect for backyard accessory units, guest houses, or standalone homes.

Overview

The Casita by Boxabl arrives fully finished and ready to live in. Measuring approximately 361 square feet (about 33.5 m²), this folding home can be set up on-site in just a few hours. Once unfolded and connected to utilities, the Casita provides a complete living experience comparable to a traditional home—only faster, greener, and far more affordable.

Key Features

• Size: 19 ft x 19 ft (approximately 361 sq. ft.)
• Construction Type: Modular, prefabricated, steel-framed panels
• Setup Time: Can be installed in one day after delivery
• Energy Efficiency: High R-value insulation, tight envelope design, and energy-saving LED lighting
• Durability: Fire-resistant, flood-resistant, and hurricane-rated materials
• Shipping: Folds to 8.5 ft wide for legal highway transport without special permits

Casa en los Árboles - Prefabricated Steel House Built on Four Concrete Foundation Columns, Chile

Floor Plans
About Max Núñez Arquitectos

Project	Casa en los Árboles
Architects	Max Núñez Arquitectos
Builder	Mauricio Urzua
Structural Engineering	Jorge Tobar
Area	110 m² (1,185 ft²) one module
Photography	Cristóbal Palma
Location	Chile
Year	2023

The Chilean firm Max Núñez Arquitectos designed a prefabricated steel residence elevated on columns in the Sierra Nevada mountains of southern Chile, drawing comparisons to a “lunar lander.”

Named Casa en los Árboles (House in the Trees), the project was finalized in 2023 on the edge of Conguillío National Park in the Andes. Situated near the active volcanoes Llaima and Lonquimay, the 110-square-metre (1,185-square-foot) dwelling occupies a spot favored for backcountry skiing among forests of araucarias, coihues, raulíes, and oaks.

Modular Buildings, Sky-Building Machines, and Construction Robots

With rapid advances in technology, modern construction sites look very different from the dusty, labor-intensive places of the past. Today, many sites resemble high-tech hubs, equipped with automation and smart machinery.

Modular buildings, sky-building machines, and construction robots are transforming the industry—boosting productivity and making what once seemed impossible, like “mass-producing houses,” a practical reality.

New Modular Systems for High-Rise Buildings

High-rise buildings are starting to use modular construction — which means the building is made from factory-built “blocks” or modules, then stacked and joined together at the site, like giant Lego. This method makes construction faster, cleaner, and often cheaper.

There are two main types of modules:

• Steel modules: They’re lightweight, easy to move, and quick to connect. They’re good for flexible layouts and open spaces.

• Concrete modules: They’re heavier, but very strong, durable, and fire-resistant, which makes them better for long-lasting homes.

Researchers are now testing new hybrid modules that combine steel and concrete. These give the benefits of both: they’re strong, safe, fire-resistant, and still light enough to build quickly. Special fast-joining techniques are being developed so workers can connect these modules securely in less time.

Factories are also looking at automation (robots, machines, precision tools) to make modules faster, more accurate, and more customizable. This means future skyscrapers could be built more safely, more sustainably, and in much less time than with traditional methods.

LG Expands Its Smart Cottage Series With Budget-Friendly Modular Homes

On October 2, LG Electronics introduced new additions to its LG Smart Cottage lineup — affordable modular homes designed to meet the needs of people embracing flexible lifestyles such as “Five Urban, Two Rural Days” and “Workation” (a combination of work and vacation).

Modular homes are built from prefabricated sections, or “modules,” that are manufactured in a factory and then assembled on-site, offering faster construction and consistent quality.

The new lineup features two models: the MONO Core 27, an open-plan 27㎡ (8-pyeong) single-story unit, and the MONO Core 54, a larger 54㎡ (16-pyeong) single-story layout with separated spaces. With these additions, LG’s Smart Cottage range now includes six different types — available in both one- and two-story configurations and sizes of 8, 14, and 16 pyeong.

Robotic Modular Factories Planned Across UAE, Europe, and US by Mulk Marses Robotics

Automated wall panel and pod production set for global rollout

Mulk International — the global arm of UAE-based Mulk Holdings International — has joined forces with Marses to launch Mulk Marses Robotics, a new venture aimed at fast-tracking the adoption of automated modular construction worldwide.

Expanding modular automation

The company intends to set up fully automated modular factories in the UAE, Europe, and the United States. These facilities will employ advanced robotic systems to mass-produce wall panels, bathroom pods, and modular building elements. By embracing industrialized methods, the joint venture aims to cut costs, shorten project delivery times, and ensure consistent quality.

Understanding Shape Imperfections in Modular Construction

When buildings are made the old-fashioned way, small mistakes in size or shape (like a wall leaning slightly or a column not being perfectly straight) are expected. Engineers know how to calculate these errors when checking if the building is safe.

But in Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), buildings are made from factory-built modules. These modules are very precise, but they still aren’t perfect. Even tiny factory errors, plus bumps during transportation and installation, can make modules slightly bent, tilted, or misaligned. These little mistakes are called initial geometric imperfections.

The problem is, old building design methods don’t work well for MiC because they focus on single pieces (like just one column), not on the whole module. If engineers ignore how these small errors add up across a module, they could design a structure that doesn’t behave as expected.

So, this study created mathematical models to connect small factory errors with the overall module shape problems. They tested these models using computer simulations (Monte Carlo simulations) to predict how much a module might be “off” in real life. With this, engineers can:

• Know how precise factories need to be when making modules.

• Reduce wasted time and rework from mistakes.

• Design safer, more efficient modular buildings.

Fire impact on the structural safety of modular buildings

This research looks at how modular buildings (buildings made from factory-built “boxes” that are put together on-site) behave in a fire.

Scientists wanted to see:

• How long these buildings can survive in a fire,

• What parts of the building fail first,

• And what happens when fire spreads from one room to another.

They tested this using computer models and math simulations instead of burning a real full-size building (which would be way too expensive).

Key things they found

1. The strong columns help a lot 

The buildings use special columns called CFST columns (concrete-filled steel tubes).

• The steel tube on the outside heats up,

• But the concrete inside slows down the heat and keeps it strong.

• This makes the building more fire-resistant than normal steel columns.

2. Where the fire starts matters

• Corner fires are more dangerous because there are fewer other parts of the building to help carry the load.

• Lower floor fires are also worse because those floors are holding up all the weight above them.

Modular Advantage Magazine - September/October 2025

Every two months, Modular Advantage magazine takes a deep dive into a key topic in modular construction, offering interviews and expert perspectives, industry news, case studies, and updates from the Modular Building Institute and its members. This trade publication serves as an essential guide for professionals and anyone interested in the global market for commercial modular and relocatable buildings.

Highlighted features and insights include:

Homes as Essential Infrastructure – a look at government programs in Canada designed to deliver affordable housing quickly.

Building the Future, Offsite – an exploration of how the U.K. is advancing modular construction through public-private collaboration and innovative financing.

POJI and MOKO – examples from Stockholm where modular industrialization is shaping lively, mixed-use neighborhoods.

Boutique Modern – demonstrating efficient, cost-effective modular housing solutions in the U.K.

BoulderMOD – emphasizing workforce training and affordable housing initiatives in Colorado.

Guerdon – showcasing multi-project pipelines in Idaho as scalable modular strategies take shape.

Other articles tackle technical and strategic themes, from waterproofing solutions and accelerating multi-family construction timelines to developer communication strategies and New York City housing challenges.

https://www.modular.org/modular-advantage/

Modular Advantage Magazine - September/October 2025 Issue - Read Here

Casa da Mata - Sustainable Modular Home Made of Wooden Modules, Brazil

Floor Plans
About Kika Camasmie Arquitetura

Project	Casa da Mata
Architects	Kika Camasmie Arquitetura
Builder	MAN Marcenaria, Paraju Construtora
Interior Design	KikaCamasmie + Arq, Studio Sall
Area	32 m² (345 ft²) one module
Photography	Oka Fotografia
Location	Brazil
Year	2023

Sustainability at every step. This project was conceived with a focus on full-circle sustainability. The concept centers on prefabricated wooden modules built by local craftsmen, leveraging their skills and techniques to save both time and cost. By relying on a single material—wood—the construction remains clean, efficient, and quick to assemble, as each component arrives pre-made for easy on-site installation.

Drop Pod - Prefab Home by Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios, Indonesia

Nestled in the lush hills of West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, sits a structure that could be mistaken for a prop from a sci-fi blockbuster. The Drop Pod by Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios is anything but a conventional prefab box. With its sculpted curves and purposeful lines, this futuristic dwelling shows how form and function can work hand in hand. Completed in 2025, the Drop Pod takes on one of today’s biggest challenges: creating housing that can be built quickly, works in different environments, and stands up to harsh weather.

One of its most striking features is how it’s positioned. Elevated 60 centimeters on a riverstone base, the home appears to hover above the ground—a smart choice in flood-prone Indonesia. This raised platform not only shields the living space from water damage but also provides a shaded area beneath and allows the structure to sit comfortably on uneven terrain. It transforms a potential weakness into a key design advantage.

Integrated Modular Builders See Stronger Profits

A McKinsey & Company report finds that modular construction firms handling both manufacturing and on-site assembly achieve better profitability than those offering only one service.

By controlling the entire process—from factory production to installation—these integrated offsite construction companies gain greater oversight of quality, scheduling, and efficiency. Because their teams are trained across the full modular system, they can manage larger project scopes internally and rely less on subcontractors, which improves margins.

Profitability is especially strong in specialized sectors such as hospitality and healthcare facilities. Higher construction costs per square meter in these markets increase the benefits of factory-built methods, and competition is often less intense compared with residential construction.

At the same time, advances in technology and tailored solutions are helping modular construction scale up, delivering higher-quality projects and a broader range of building types. Emerging digital platforms also make it easier for companies to link customers with suppliers, while optimizing and customizing designs to suit specific sites.

Build Canada Homes - cost-efficient and modern methods of construction such as factory-built, modular, and mass timber

14.09.2025

Why create Build Canada Homes when other federal organizations exist to support housing?

What makes Build Canada Homes different is how it works:

• Unlocking multi-year pipelines of projects through the portfolio approach,
• Leveraging modern methods of construction such as factory-built housing, and
• Building on public lands to deliver more affordable homes faster.

By combining flexible financing, access to land, and development expertise under one roof, Build Canada Homes will make it simpler and faster to get big projects off the ground. Introducing early federal financing will decrease project risk and incentivize private investment.

Build Canada Homes will act as a one-stop-shop for proponents at every phase of the development process, working in close partnership with developers, investors, manufacturers, other orders of government and Indigenous partners to get housing financed and built.

What is considered affordable and deeply affordable for Build Canada Homes?

Build Canada Homes recognizes that housing should cost less than 30% of household's before-tax income and will seek to build homes at prices that reflect the realities of different regions across Canada and across the income spectrum.

Affordable Housing

Housing is considered affordable when it costs less than 30% of a household's before-tax income, based on the median household income in a given region.

This type of housing is aimed at middle-income households, such as essential workers (e.g., construction workers, care providers, teachers, nurses, etc.).

It reflects what people in the middle of the income spectrum can reasonably afford in their local area.

Deeply Affordable Housing

Housing is considered deeply affordable when it costs less than 30% of a household's before-tax income, based on the median income of low- or very-low-income households in a region.

This type of housing supports those with limited or fixed incomes, such as minimum wage earners, low-income seniors, or people receiving social assistance.

It ensures that even the most economically vulnerable can access safe and stable housing, including people experiencing homelessness through housing first approaches and supportive housing options.

Samsung Smart Modular Home: a New Generation of Living Spaces with Artificial Intelligence Support

At the international consumer electronics exhibition IFA 2025, Samsung Electronics presented the Smart Modular Home concept — an integrated solution for organizing a new format of living space using artificial intelligence technologies.

The concept combines AI functions, home appliances, energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as centralized control through the SmartThings and SmartThings Pro platforms. All components operate within a single ecosystem, which provides a comprehensive approach to creating modern housing. The presentation of Smart Modular Home took place at IFA 2025. The company also announced plans to bring the solution to the global B2B market.

Berkshire House - 3 Bedrooms 2,227 sf Modular Home, West Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Floor Plans
About Resolution: 4 Architecture

Project	Berkshire House
Architects	Resolution: 4 Architecture
Manufacturer	Simplex Homes
Area	2,227 sf
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
Modules	6 modules, Butterfly Roof
Location	West Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Year	2007

Description by architects

Situated three hours north of New York City and two hours west of Boston, the Berkshire Mountains have long been a vacation destination for urban dwellers. This particular escape was designed for a Brooklyn couple and their teenage son for use primarily on the weekends throughout the year. Raised slightly above grade, the house sits in a natural clearing on the edge of a plateau, overlooking a steep drop formed by the Housatonic River.

Leaving the car behind, visitors enter the house up a gently sloping ramp, transitioning to a large outdoor covered space. Designed to accommodate a future screened porch, this entry threshold frames views of the woods, valley, and mountains beyond. The single-story main volume of the home, clad in cement board panels and glass, is placed perpendicularly to the two-story cedar volume. Similar to The Dwell Home, this 2,100-square-foot composition is also a variation of the Two-Bar Bridge in the L Series typology. Both have communal loftlike spaces that are wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass, surrounded by trees, and flanked by decks. An upper bar of private spaces bridges over the large exterior space, forming a portal to the site.

Whereas The Dwell Home contains a carport under the bridge piece, the Berkshire House includes space for a future screened porch surrounding the house's main entrance. Similar to The Dwell Home though, this home responds to its climate and site with a roof deck, a butterfly roof to collect rainwater, and clerestory windows that face south in the Berkshire's northern climate to maximize solar heat gain. Utilizing the constant temperature of the earth, the Berkshire House is heated and cooled through the use of geothermal energy, increasing the sustainability factor beyond that of The Dwell Home.

Simplex Homes

Simplex Homes is a modern, technically advanced, nationally recognized leader in modular construction.

Simplex Homes management team is among the most experienced in the industry. Simplex Homes are among the largest modular industry employers in Pennsylvania but remain a family owned firm. Simplex Homes craftsmen are among the most skilled in prefabricated modular industry and many have been with the company almost since the founding of Simplex Homes over 5 decades ago.

Simplex Homes concentrates their efforts on building the highest possible quality modular structures. Simplex Homes build first homes and dream homes as well as architecturally significant homes and commercial buildings that range from dormitories to hotels, from professional office space to light industrial buildings.

Shift | House - 1,600 SF 2 Bedrooms Modular House by Palette Architecture, East Hampton, Long Island, New York

Scheme
Floor Plans
Installation Process
About Palette Architecture

Project	Shift | House
Architects	Palette Architecture
Manufacturer	Simplex Homes
Contractor	Cedar Knolls Homes
MEP Engineer	RAAD
Area	1,600 SF
Bedrooms	2
Modules	3 modules, 5 panels
Installation Time	1 day (+days of finishing)
Location	East Hampton, Long Island, New York
Year	2023
Photography	Jody Kivort

Description by architects

Shift | House is a 1,600 SF, new house for a family of four. It is constructed of prefabricated, modular components that were factory fabricated and connected on site. The design takes advantage of prefabrication’s economies in budget and schedule, without compromising on the overall design intent. These tools are deployed in a house enriched by its natural surroundings, and supportive of the family’s activities.

In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, there was a desire amongst many New Yorkers to supplement their homes in the city with ones more connected to nature. A prior client asked us to design a second home away from their Brooklyn townhouse. They quickly settled on a tree lined subdivision in East Hampton, in relative visual seclusion from its neighbors. The house was to be modest in scale and budget, with an urgency to occupy it quickly.

Concurrent with the start of this project, we were navigating contractor shortages and long wait times on a number of our projects. We suggested prefabrication to achieve lower construction costs, an expedited schedule, and improved budget and schedule certainty. We embarked on a design process that worked within prefabrication’s limits, while pressing the fabricator to expand their offerings to meet our design goals.

Prefabricated Construction in the Residential Real Estate Market

March 2025

http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/remav-2025-0004

Authors:

Małgorzata Krajewska
Nicolaus Copernicus University

Ewa Siemińska
Nicolaus Copernicus University

Izabela Rącka
Calisia University - Kalisz Poland

Kinga Szopińska
Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology

Ivo Kostov
University of Economics Varna

PREFABRICATED CONSTRUCTION IN THE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET

Małgorzata Krajewska¹, Ewa Siemińska², Izabela Rącka³*, Kinga Szopińska¹, Ivo Kostov⁴

1. Department of Geodesy, Spatial Management and Real Estate, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 7 prof. S. Kaliskiego Av., 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland, (MK) e-mail: malgorzata.krajewska@pbs.edu.pl, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8541-2295; (KS) e-mail: k.szopinska@pbs.edu.pl, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2702-936X
2. Department of Investment and Real Estate, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, ul. Gagarina 11, 87-100 Toruń, Poland, e-mail: ewahsiem@umk.pl, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8885-0338
3. Institute of Social Sciences, University of Kalisz, ul. Nowy Świat 4, 62-800 Kalisz, Poland, e-mail: i.racka@uniwersytetkaliski.edu.pl, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2344-0901
4. Department of Business, Investment, Real Estate, University of Economics – Varna, 77 Kniaz Boris I Blvd., 9002 Varna, Bulgaria, e-mail: i.kostov@ue-varna.bg, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5623-471X
* Corresponding author

Abstract

Persistent housing shortages and escalating housing investment costs in numerous countries drive the search for technologies that enable faster, cost-effective housing development. Prefabrication technology has emerged as a promising solution, which enables buildings to be constructed in significantly shorter timeframes compared to traditional methods. This approach utilizes prefabricated structural elements manufactured in controlled factory settings, leading to a substantial reduction in the carbon footprint associated with the construction process.

This study focuses on two primary objectives: 1) Identifying the key factors for integrating prefabricated construction technology into the multifamily housing market, especially within the framework of sustainable development policies and the growing housing gap, and 2) Examining buyer preferences to assess their openness toward prefabricated construction in the multifamily residential market. Identification of the determinants of the implementation of prefabricated technology was carried out based on comprehensive literature review and critique of source documents. Additionally, buyer preference surveys were conducted among residents in post-communist Central and Eastern European countries (Poland, Bulgaria, and Ukraine).

$220,000 Four Story Four Apartments Prefabricated Modular Housing, Chile

Floor Plans
3D Renderings
Construction Process
About ELEMENTAL Architecture

Project	Chusmisa Housing Wildfire Reconstruction
Architects	ELEMENTAL
Area	252m² (4 apartments of 63m²)
Modules	8 prefabricated living modules and 3 prefabricated roof modules
Manufacturing Time	1 month
Installation Time	1 day (+5 days of finishing)
Project Cost	$220,000
Location	Viña del Mar, Chile
Year	2025

A year after the mega-fire in Viña del Mar and with only 26% progress in the reconstruction work in the area, the ELEMENTAL office and local authorities began the construction of a prefabricated modular housing project in one of the residential neighborhoods most affected by the catastrophe. It is a medium-density residential building with a modular metal structure that aims to serve as a starting point for other similar modular projects, in response to what is now considered one of the most catastrophic events in the recent history of Chile. The objective, declared by both Alejandro Aravena and the mayor of the city, Macarena Ripamonti, is that the technology and management model behind this prefabricated housing project serve as a precedent to deliver rapid and definitive modular housing solutions in emergency scenarios.