Lake|Flato Architects has spent years researching prefabricated houses, and this Texas Hill Country residence represents its first attempt at building one. “ I love the simple plan and the repeatable parts used in a custom way,” said a judge. 

The home’s three separate modules were built in a factory in College Station, Texas, and trucked to the property.  Site-built elements such as porches, a dog run, and a carport form the connective tissue between the modules, which are oriented to frame views and gather breezes. 

Durable corrugated metal siding covers the home’s exposed portions, while red cedar clads the protected exterior walls.  The idea is that each Porch House will adapt to its own specific landscape and climate. “ This particular project responds to the Texas environment,” says associate Bill Aylor, AIA, who leads Lake|Flato’s prefab division along with Ted Flato, FAIA. “ The same form and arrangement could work in another environment; the orientation, materials, and detailing would all change.”