At MoMA, the BURST* name took on more than its original semantic origin, derived from the surface-applied “sunburst” flower graphic, to become a skylight and, more significantly, to become a means of delivery in which the structural ribs literally burst open on site before being lowered onto the structural moment frames that connect the house to the ground.

Made of plywood, steel and glass, BURST* is a prefabricated system of housing that uses sophisticated digital design tools to create a highly customizable, simple-to-assemble, environmentally conscious house. The system is adaptable and responsive to various sites, climates, owners, and programs using an algorithm to generate the form based on specific conditions like angle of summer sun and number of inhabitants. An alternative to mass-produced versions of domestic life that reduce prefab houses to differing arrangements of boxes, each BURST* has the potential for unique spaces, expanding the range of architectural form for domestic and inexpensive construction. (project statement courtesy Gauthier Architects) 

BURST*008 was commissioned by the Museum of Modern Art and built in 10 weeks, 4 off-site and 6 on-site, for the exhibition Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling. At the time I worked for a construction firm and served as the project and construction manager for the architects. 

Text courtesy Gauthier Architects