Prefab technology is revolutionizing the way we build our homes, one stackable Lego-like module at a time. Australian construction company Hickory Group recently completed one such example with the One9, a nine-story apartment tower that was installed in just five days. Built from 36 prefab modules, the One9 project also includes numerous environmentally sustainable features such as a gray water recycling system and solar hot water panels.
While One9 is made up of stacked modules, Hickory Group does not consider their building as modular architecture since they did not use a fixed module size. In keeping with their dedication to minimizing material and energy waste, Hickory adopted the Unitised Building System (UB), a time-saving prefabrication process developed by leading Australian architect Nonda Katsalidis. The apartment tower’s modern design shows off UB’s capability to produce complex architectural features, such as cantilevered terraces.
Although Hickory says that UB can be used to construct buildings as tall as 70 stories, the nine-story-tall One9 is currently the tallest building the firm has completed. The tower consists of 34 one and two bedroom apartments, each comprising natural timber flooring, high-grade carpeting, and full-length balconies. One9 also boasts a 6 star energy rating and proximity to sustainable transit amenities such as 34 secure bicycle parking spots and access to the car-sharing program GreenShareCar.
Lucy Wang, Inhabitat, 25 July 2014
