a bold statement about sustainable prefab

Daniel Libeskind’s latest prefab The Villa has many cutting-edge angles when it comes to design and sustainability. It’s designed in such a way that light floods into the home through its large floor-to-ceiling-windows in unexpected ways and looks stunning from the outside. Libeskind calls The Villa the most sustainable house of the world in a video on his website. He mentions that it has the highest sustainability components in the world in regards to insulation, geothermal power and solar energy. The Villa is largely constructed in wood and clad in zinc. It has been getting mixed reviews in regards to sustainability, but to me it’s a symbolic statement about the future of green design. Of course the design of The Villa by Libeskind puts style over sustainability in terms of scale with its 5,500 square feet. It entails a grand central room, 4 bedrooms, a family room, multiple bath and restrooms, office and multi-purpose rooms in the basement. No doubt that The Villa questions the traditional definition of prefab, since it’s neither affordable for mass production nor economic in terms of scale. But it also calls attention to creative options that are out there for eco-modern prefab homes and I consider it more of a sculpture about sustainable design. Do I think that every sustainable prefab home needs a rain shower that rises 4 meters above the ground and provides the perfect mix of water, mist, light and fragrance? Certainly not. Does it sound amazing? Absolutely.