American architectural firm KieranTimberlake (Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake), taking a page from Henry Ford and his numerous prototypes (the “Model T” derives from the 19th letter in the alphabet, because Henry had 18 previous failures), are working to transform architecture beyond its traditional guidelines into the domains of software developers and industrial engineers. Using software that can track the exact dimensions and physical properties of each component, and having studied the construction techniques employed by the automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding industries, the pair has come up with a prototype modular home made of aluminum and lightweight pre-cast concrete panels. Working with Indian investors, according to theglobeandmail.com, the goal is to produce quick-to-assemble and easy to move homes for the middle class suitable to India’s climate, with a potential market of hundreds of millions homes. With an eye for innovation and detail, for example, MHProNews has learned the pair is working with concrete panels that bear thousands of tiny rounded indentations, which cast tiny shadows to keep the surface cool.
