The tradition of grand and inaccurate predictions about the future of prefab houses goes back almost a hundred years, to the first sales of Sears mail-order kit homes in the early 1900s. Now, though, prefab home designs seem actually to be getting somewhere, both in terms of the number being produced and home builders’ desire for them (stoked in part by countless stories in design and lifestyle magazines). When it comes to organizing an exhibition on this trend, the Walker is a natural–not just because of its design pedigree, but because several prefab home designers operate right here in the Twin Cities. Its show explores a full range of prefab concepts, from tiny, remotely situated cabins to chic two-story homes in the city. The homes share a simplicity in design, but there’s nothing generic or homogenous about them; the thought that has gone into them suggests that eternal hope of architects: better living by design. (An architectural tour of Twin Cities prefabricated houses is planned for February 2006; details to be announced.) 612-375-7622, www.walkerart.org
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