House on the Block

Of-the-moment manufacture trusts in time-honored building to make a modern home radically efficient, both in effort to raise and energy to run.

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Reuniting with Olson Kundig, we dug in with new developer Aro to prove their prototype, helping to plan, refine and complete their first prefabricated net-zero home. Designed as a whole, not cobbled from parts, the all-electric original fills with light as solar holds its power. Guiding innovation with experience shrank typical construction time by more than half and kept the promise of early emissions offset. Daily feedback from the field found every perfectible detail, informing improvements from the roof to the anchor bolts and infusing intentionality that feels made for the future owner.

When economy calls on artisanship, simplicity gets smarter, shaping places unique to choose and ready to replicate. After this home, we made four more together, and empowered Aro’s mission to continue, more swiftly sure.

3,000 square feet
Mountain View, California

Olson Kundig, Architect
Photography: Matthew Milllman

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