The Desert House: The Latest In Steel Prefab Homes

FabPreFab magazine interviews the architects at Marmol Radziner Prefab about their new steel homes product line, called The Desert House. [Includees photos]

1 minute read

October 29, 2005, 9:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Then in 2002, we were invited to be part of the Dwell Home competition, and for the first time we applied apply prefab technologies to a residential project. We were so enthusiastic about the potentials of prefab homes, that soon after we began designing a prefab prototype. Building the prototype, which we call the Desert House, helped us learn more about the realities of prefabricating homes, and the three models we currently offer are based on what we discovered with the Desert House.

...In addition to structural strength, large structural spans give us more flexibility to facilitate seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces through features such as wide expanses of glass and airy floor plans. We also use recycled steel, which is a more sustainable building material than wood framing."

Friday, October 28, 2005 in Fab PreFab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

3 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

4 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

5 hours ago - Bloomberg