Architect Ray Kappe designed the first (and now iconic) LivingHome in Santa Monica, and now, he has a new multifamily design that LivingHomes will prefabricate for a site in Los Altos, California.  The project includes three attached units, of which, two units will have three bedrooms and three bathrooms and one unit will have one bedroom and one bathroom.  One of the units will be owner occupied, one will be low-income, and the other will be a standard rental.  All of them will be green. 

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You're probably familiar with Brad Pitt's juggernaut project, Make It Right — back in December 2007, we talked about thirteen single-family designs planned for construction in the Lower 9th Ward.  A number of these have been built, and the progress has been interesting to watch.  In addition, Make It Right just announced fourteen new duplex designs from top international architects.  The designs emphasize community, affordability, flexibility, and sustainability, and starting in mid-August, Make It Right expects to break ground on two of these.  Check out a preview of all fourteen and the firms behind the designs:

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When you think of manufactured homes, you might think of the ranch house with vinyl siding that you gingerly pass on the interstate as it travels on the back of a wide-load truck.  You might also think about a LEED Platinum home and imagine a roof spotted with photovoltaic panels, windmill in the front yard, and geothermal dug deep into the ground.  The newest offering from New World Home turns both of these ideas on their heads.

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San Antonio-based LionForce built this efficient home as a prototype for their ecoLiving System — a web-based configurator that will help homeowners design homes and build them through a national network of certified building partners.  LionForce says their homes are efficient, healthy, low-maintenance, quickly constructed, and cost effective.  This first prototype home, the T-2 home, has already received a 2009 Green Building Award from the City of San Antonio (in the custom home under 2,200 square feet category). 

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Some of you old school prefab enthusiasts may be interested in knowing that a brand new Dwell Home designed by Charlie Lazor (i.e., also doing the Flatpak House) is for sale in Sausalito, California.  61 Wolfback Ridge was just completed this year.  The 4,200 square foot home contains 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and an additional 2,400 square feet of decks and outdoor spaces.  It can be yours for current price of $3,650,000. 

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