New Boxes on the Block - Design Bureau

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New Boxes on the Block

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

completed photos by Mike Schwartz
construction photo by Martin Konopacki

Walking around the streets of Chicago, you're unlikely to see many modern homes — let alone prefabricated, modular, sustainable homes. It's a city that likes its brick and brownstones. That's why the new C3 prefab house from Square Root Architecture is a big deal. Though it's rather conspicuous in its West Town location, when you open up the hood to the C3, it's clear that the surrounding houses are the ones that need to shape up. 

With many of its parts constructed off-site in northern Indiana and transported to Chicago, the 2,039-square-foot home was manufactured quickly with a great deal of quality control and material efficiency. The C3 was designed to meet LEED Platinum and Energy Star standards. It reportedly surpasses the current energy code by 54%, and the reduced energy usage will ideally save the homeowners an additional $282,000 at 10% over a 30-year period.

It's only a matter of time before potential home builders and buyers realize that an energy-efficient home can virtually pay for itself over time. However, navigating Chicago's various building restrictions and codes is no small task; C3, though assembled on site fairly quickly, was more than three years in the making.

Features include:

• Recycled content, low-maintenance exterior siding and reclaimed barn-wood siding
• Energy-efficient appliances and lighting
• Recycled hickory and cork flooring
• Reclaimed storm water used for landscaping irrigation
• Solar-panel-ready roof can also support a garden and deck

And how 'bout that interior? Furnishings were provided by the always great Post 27.

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