You need the Flash plugin:

If you have the Flash plug-in, click here.

If you would like to download the plug-in, click here.

Modern Modular

Sustainable Spaces

By Natalie Moore

Michelle Kaufmann stands at the forefront of sustainable design with her strikingly innovative, yet eco-friendly prefab dwellings. Along with her eponymous architectural firm, Michelle Kaufmann Designs (MKD), Michelle’s riding an unprecedented boom in demand for beautiful, functional spaces that work in harmony with their surroundings. Her popular collection of green, modular modern homes include the spacious Glidehouse™ and airy mkLotus™: MKD is also developing green communities with mkResorts and multifamily residences.

In the above slideshow, Acura Style editor Brendan Howley caught up with MKD's Justin Brown via cell phone to discuss the practicalities of sustainable prefab.

Additional Resources

All links open in a new window

Q&A with Michelle Kaufmann

  • Did you come to design via fine art or architecture or both?

    I got my undergrad degree at Iowa State College of Design in the Department of Architecture. From there I went on to earn my Masters in Architecture from Princeton.

    I have always been interested in not just design, but also, how we build.

  • Who was your most important mentor? Why?

    There have been so many people who have inspired me over the years from professors to Charles and Ray Eames. I'm also lucky to have had the opportunity to work for Frank Gehry and Michael Graves. Both were mentors to me and both shared my belief in the importance of making good design accessible to a wide audience. They really inspired me to consider ways that I could use my expertise to connect with people beyond the confines of traditional architecture. Ultimately, that inspiration lead me to found MKD, which is the company I've created to develop media properties and products devoted to helping people lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

  • What emotion do you most associate with good design? Why?

    Good design should give people a sense of contentment. It should infuse a sense of enjoyment into the daily routine of life. I want people to walk into our homes, and say, this feels good. I could live here. They may not know why they like it, they just do.

  • In a perfect world, what would you most like to design next?

    We work under the belief that sustainable, well-designed buildings should be accessible to more people. Already, our homes aren't as expensive as many of the other green home options available, but we know there are ways that we can create greater cost efficiencies and that is the design challenge I am committed to next.

    Driving down costs requires higher volume production. Multifamily projects unlock a lower price point, making sustainable design more affordable. We are currently getting ready to start construction on a community in Denver with 104 units that is a mixture of 1, 2, 3 and 4 stories, live/work and residential, as well as a mix of affordable and market rate units. We've also recently begun work on a new community development project in Half Moon Bay, CA, called Big Wave. Our goal is to use the immediate volume of the communities to unlock lower pricing for single family projects. And that is really exciting for us.

  • Whose architecture speaks to you most?

    Charles and Ray Eames are some of my favorite designers of all time. They mixed play with genius, and the result was inspirational in its impact. I often wonder what the Eames would be doing today if they were still alive. I think they would be doing this.

  • If you had to hazard a guess, where is vernacular residential architecture headed next?

    I think we're in the middle of a cultural shift. People are beginning to demand more from less instead of more for less. Rather than thinking "bigger is better," they're realizing that better is better. They're seeing the value in designing smart instead of building big, which hopefully means an end to the McMansion trend! Outside of architecture we're seeing the same thing: the iPhone is a good example. A phone can't just be a phone anymore. It has to be a camera, Internet, e-mail, calendar and weather report.

  • You've hit the sweet spot in so many ways with your designs and worldview: where are you and MKD headed next?

    I recently launched mkStudios to inspire individuals, families, and communities to create and enjoy sustainable lifestyles inside and outside their homes. We're building mkStudios as a go-to resource for information and products that foster eco-friendly living.

    I want to show people how my five Eco Principles (smart design, eco-friendly materials, energy efficiency, water conservation and healthy environments), can be easily incorporated into their daily lives.

    Besides that, we're going to keep pursuing our company's mission to make thoughtful, sustainable design more accessible. It should be easy to go green—we're helping to make it that way.