Studio 101 Designs

Studio 101 Designs holds the view that the places we live should be useful and functional, beautiful, and durable. These are principles laid out by Vitruvius 2,000 years ago which have guided architects ever since. However, the unstated framework of those principles has always been the constraining economics of time and resources. Today, perhaps more than ever, we are seeing the pressure of those constraints as the world's rate of economic expansion seems to be nearing its limits. We believe the recent economic downturns around the globe are evidence of this unsustainable growth hitting a wall. Our approach is to acknowledge these constraints, and to try to live within them – not to press outward on them. We choose to focus on making buildings that not only aspire to the Vitruvian ideal, but also minimize consumption of resources, time, and energy, both during and after construction. Our strategy is to work closely with clients and builders (on site and at the factory, as the case may be) to design efficient, simple spaces that accommodate multiple uses wherever possible, using materials, methods, and forms that minimize life cycle cost. We design both prefabricated modular as well as custom site-built houses. Our experience with acclaimed prefab-green pioneer Michelle Kaufmann and with factory partners (including Blazer Industries) has convinced us that sustainable prefab modular building is not only feasible, but a potential solution to inefficiencies inherent in traditional construction methods. Having said that, there are situations which require custom site-built solutions for various reasons, and we approach those projects with the same design ideals. Overall, at Studio 101 Designs, our philosophy is: do more with less.