Yves Béhar has designed a prefab home, called the Yves Béhar LivingHomes YB1, which is the first in a line of high-quality structures at the leading edge of prefab building. A model YB1 was unveiled at Summit in Los Angeles last week, officially launching the unit.
The YB1 is designed from a system Yves developed with LivingHomes to accommodate different roof lines, different sizes, different layouts for windows, various interior requirements and different climatic conditions. The YB1 can be configured to include a full kitchen, bathroom with a shower, a living room, and a bedroom or office. Appliances, finishes and lighting and electrical in the YB1 can be selected by the owners and all come pre-installed and ready to go.
The YB1 4' grid system allows for a range of 250 to 1200 square foot units. The layout of the YB1 is fully customizable, designed to respond to the environment in which it will be constructed. Windows for light and privacy could be positioned anywhere, and designed at full height, half height, or as clerestory windows.
The design is environmentally friendly, using materials like Forest Stewardship Council certified wood siding and cement panels. There are also two roof options, designed for application in different climate zones. Constructed in Plant Prefab's groundbreaking facility and using helical metal piles to anchor the units to the ground, the construction of prefab ADUs are exceeding environmentally-sensitive and cut down on the impact of construction significantly. The homes are constructed in one month, and take one day to install on-site.
The YB1 and subsequent models are designed to fit within California's Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) legislation which responds to the rising demand for housing, especially in California, where density is an issue, and present a new solution for housing with a wide range of possibilities - and a field recently bolstered by changes to California housing law that encourage their use.
Images: Courtesy of Yves Béhar