Modern Mirage: Desert Prefab by Students of Taliesen West

The Taliesin Mod.FabTM is an example of simple, elegant, and sustainable living in the desert. The one-bedroom, 600-square-foot prototype residence relies on panelized construction to allow for speed and economy on site or in a factory. It can be connected to utilities or be "unplugged," relying on low-consumption fixtures, rainwater harvesting, greywater re-use, natural ventilation, solar orientation, and photovoltaics to reduce energy and water use. The structure is dimensioned and engineered to be transportable via roadway.
The Taliesin Mod.FabTM was designed and built by graduate and undergraduate students at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture with the faculty guidance of Michael P. Johnson and Jennifer Siegal, project manager Christian Butler, recent M.Arch graduate, and assistant project manager Nick Mancusi, current BAS student.
The structure can be visited on the student-led Taliesin West Desert Shelter Tour, Saturdays at 1:30, mid-November through mid-April.
The Mod.Fab™ has received numerous awards, among which:
Sunset Magazine's Best Green Home Award
Time Magazine's Best 100

Photo copyright 2009 Bill Timmerman

Photos copyright 2009 Bill Timmerman

Photo copyright 2009 Bill Timmerman

Photo copyright 2009 Bill Timmerman

Photo copyright 2009 Bill Timmerman

Student participants in design and construction (alphabetical): Dakotah Apostolou, Ebbie Azimi, Thai Blackburn, Christian Butler, Jillian Brooks, Emil Crystal, Michael DesBarres, Daniel Dillow, Dave Frazee, Jeff Graham, Ryan Hewson, Erik Krautbauer, Nick Mancusi, Marietta Pagkalou, Lauren Rybinski, Andrea Tejeda, Maya Ward-Karet, Hui Ee Wong, Todd Lehmenkuler, Russell Mahoney, Simon DeAguerro, Taryn Seymour

Special thanks to project supporters. Bold indicates full donation of product and/or services:
- Wolf/Subzero (appliances)
- Brizo (plumbing fixtures)
- Teka USA (kitchen sink)
- TOTO (Toilet)
- Rinnai (tankless water heater)
- Arizona Central Plumbing Supply (plumbing distributor)
- Glassline (window installation)
- Arcadia inc. (fixed glass frames)
- Glaz-Tech Industries (fixed glass)
- Milgard (sliding door systems)
- Eturia Ceramic Tiles of Italy (bath tile)
- Floorgres / Florim Ceramiche Spa (living space tile)
- Edilcuoghi Ceramiche (bedroom tile manufacturer)
- Master Tile / Texas (tile supplier)
- Protecto Wrap Company (tile underlayment)
- Caesarstone (stone counter manufacturer)
- Spellman Hard Woods, Inc. (stone counter supplier)
- USP Granite (stone counter installation)

- Native Landscape Development, Inc. (landscape installation)
- Pittcon Industries (aluminum drywall extrusions)
- Kyko Roofing Systems (roofing)
- Cree, Inc (LED lighting)
- Mancusi Builders (project construction assistance)
- Premiere Building Systems (structural insulated panels)
- Agate Steel, Inc. (structural steel)
- Design Within Reach (furniture loan)
- IKEA (cabinets)
- Timmerman Photography Incorporated (Bill Timmerman) (photography)
- Michael P. Johnson, Michael P. Johnson Design Studio
- Jennifer Siegal and Laura McAlpine, Office of Mobile Design
- Rebecca Peebles (project labor, management, and quality control)
- Brian Maxwell (construction faculty)
- Billy Crooks, Khanh Le, James Renovatio, Suzanne D. Johnson, Effi Casey, Frank Henry, Victor Sidy (labor)

MOD.FAB Construction Blog (PrairieMod)
MOD.FAB Feels the Love (PrairieMod) 


http://www.taliesin.edu/pages/MODFAB.htm