Harsh Words For MoMA’s “Home Delivery”
GreenFab had previously shown the progress leading up to the opening of MoMA’s “Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling” but we have yet to share some of the opinions of those that seem to be less impressed with MoMA’s efforts to explain the history behind prefabricated dwellings and the five international architects’ take on “the future”.
The Washington Post recently published an article titled “Walls That Talk, and Repeat Themselves” that raises some interesting points about the story MoMA is telling about prefabricated design and construction. Here are a few highlights:
STRONG OPINIONS
“The architect who masters prefabricated housing — how to make homes that are well designed, mass-produced, affordable and easy to build — may well go down in history as the Last Architect.”
“As a fascinating and important new Museum of Modern Art exhibition, “Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling,” makes clear, they have mostly failed. But if anyone ever succeeds, perhaps the grand challenge of domestic architecture would be over — time’s up, pencils down.”
“The paradox of the prefab dream, which began with proles in boxes, is that it lingers in the bourgeois craving for luxury goods and second houses.”
POINTED QUESTIONS
“And so does prefab turn out to be just another designer accessory, not so different from Louis Vuitton handbags or Prada shoes, industrial status symbols that are basically the same from unit to unit? Is it true once again that the blessings of modernism, supposedly a gift for the many, are really just a prize for the few?”
“the ridiculously small confines of the Micro Compact House will [not] leave you with any desire to live there.”
“the System3 project … is a compelling piece of architecture by any standard…. Stand in the System3 for a few moments, and you want to live here.”
SUMMARY
“Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling” will leave you honestly conflicted, dubious about where history has brought the prefab dream. And more than ready to move into a prefab castle, just as soon as you can buy a nice plot of land and muster the down payment…”
GREENFAB’S THOUGHTS
We believe that the Washington Post is using MoMA’s exhibit as a scapegoat -in a sense- to bash the recent trend towards prefabricated design. “Home Delivery” is just one expression of this new movement, a movement that deserves a few accolades for its recent progression. With such widespread public anticipation and awareness for this grand opening at MoMA, it makes perfect sense why we would be hearing these types of harsh comments.
“Home Delivery:Fabricating the Modern Dwelling” represents exactly what it says it does. This exhibit is not an expression of affordable modular design, it is a design response to the decades of low quality and poorley designed prefabricated products. The bigger goal of course is to offer great design at an affordable price. This exhibit does not claim to do that nor should it be forced to do so.
GreenFab would like to recognize that there are many efforts being made to provide high quality, affordable housing using prefabricated methods. Here are just a few.
Tegnestuen Vandkunsten’s Low Cost Danish Prefab
Affordable, Energy Efficient Housing in Allerod
The 99k house from Hybrid Seattle
Coming to Seattle: Affordable and Modular Rental Units
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGTHS ON THIS!
Via: Prefabcosm
