Masterpieces By The Box

The prefab home might just be the solution to the world’s crises

- Hannah Choo

THE PREFAB MARKET is getting interesting. Architects are displaying a great deal more creativity and sense of adventure, whether spurred by a desire to help refugees, solve a housing crisis or offer viable alternatives for individuals who prefer not to be rooted in one spot. Kit homes save you all the time and hassle of construction. Just pick your land and move right in.

1 The Gapahuk Snøhetta, the architecture firm that plans to build a restaurant partially submerged in the sea south of Norway, has unveiled a prefabricated cabin. Made for Rindalshytter, a producer of leisure homes, the cabin can be plonked anywhere, whatever the terrain, for a price of USD175,000.

Its shape references its namesake. A Gapahuk is a structure built for hikers to take shelter in during storms. The 100m2 cabin has a sloped roof, which protects dwellers from strong wind, as well as opens up to the views and sunshine. It also has three bedrooms, a spacious living room and a kitchen, where meals can be prepared over a black, wood-burning stove.