The spring semester of 2004 marked a turning point in Studio 804’s history. Infill projects in Lawrence, Kansas, had been successful, but finding suitable sites in the booming market was becoming increasingly difficult. The time had come to address the urban housing crisis in a different city: Kansas City, Kansas. With students living and working in Lawrence, constructing a traditionally stick-built house presented challenges. Prefabrication offered a solution and, ultimately, a new opportunity.

Beginning with this project, Studio 804 designed and constructed single-family homes composed of prefabricated modular units that are flexible in plan and adaptable in configuration to accommodate personal preferences and a variety of site conditions. Mod 1 consists of five equally sized modular units, each with a distinct programmatic use. The straightforward design and the efficiencies of warehouse prefabrication resulted in an economical building process that reduced construction waste. Additionally, because the semester extended into the Midwest winter, prefabrication helped avoid weather-related construction delays.