All American builds famed Michelle Kaufmann Designs (MKD) "Smart Home" 
on extended exhibit at Chicago Museum of Science and Industry

Video shows construction of The mkSolaire™ in-factory

Just one year ago, the Modular Building Institute (MBI) featured an article by Michelle Kaufmann, a leading architect and innovator in pre-fab, green design. In that article, Kaufmann stated:

We [Michelle Kaufmann Designs (MKD)] realized that we had to go into production to start having the appropriate balance between thinking like architects and thinking like manufacturers. It is surprising to me that it has taken so long for architects and designers to apply the same level of design and thought to modular technology as they do to site-built. We are doing everything we can to change that. . . . We have been doing sustainable homes as exhibits to demonstrate to people that green can be beautiful, and accessible, as well as to show people the benefits of modular construction.

Now we can report that one MBI member has helped communicate this architect's eco-friendly vision with the delivery and assembly or "set" of the mkSolaire™ home for the exhibit Smart Home: Green + Wired. The exhibit opened this spring at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and will continue through January 2010. The exhibit was originally planned to end in 2009, but has been so popular that the museum extended it for a full year.  All American Homes built the fully functional "green" home and you can view the construction here.

The seven modules, five comprising the house and two modules making up the garage, were built at the All American Homes' construction facility in Decatur, IN. Then the house was "test fit" or "soft set" at the factory prior to being transported to the museum site where it was set on its foundation. After the home was set in place using a crane, a process that can take one to two days depending on the weather, the finish interior work, furnishing and landscaping were completed.

Rick Bedell, President of All American Homes said about the exhibit, "We are honored to be the builder of the Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit. We are in the midst of evolving as a company towards designing and building more environmentally friendly, energy efficient and sustainable products. We will continue these efforts throughout our company with the philosophy that being green is good for the environment and good for business."

Tickets for the Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit are still available and on sale at www.msichicago.org.