Integrated Partnership Delivers on Prefab's Promise

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Dwell magazine announced an exciting partnership today, signaling a seminal step forward for modern prefabricated housing.

Bound by a collective commitment to building well-designed, affordable modern homes, Dwell has teamed up with Empyrean International LLC (formerly Deck House), Resolution: 4 Architecture, and Lazor Office to create The Dwell Homes(TM) by Empyrean -- an exclusive collection of custom-designed, modern prefabricated homes.

"One of the major obstacles prefab has faced," said Dwell Editor-in-Chief Allison Arieff, "has been effective collaboration among designers, manufacturers, and clients. This partnership brings together experienced parties across that spectrum, all of whom are passionate about and committed to prefab's potential. As a result, we're able to offer the public not one but three beautifully designed, highly functional, and eminently livable homes."

The three designs are featured in the October-November Fifth Anniversary issue of Dwell, on newsstands Tuesday, September 20.

Designs

Joseph Tanney and Robert Luntz of Resolution 4: Architecture -- winners of the first Dwell Home Design Invitational in 2003 -- have adapted their winning Dwell Home design, heralded as "arguably the most high-profile prefab house in America" by The Washington Post.

Charlie Lazor of Lazor Office will commercially launch his brilliant FlatPak system, which Newsweek described as "the first revolution in American housing in decades."

Joel Turkel of Empyrean, with first-hand experience in both architecture and manufacturing, has envisioned Next House, an inspiring brand new design to complete the package.

Manufacturing

Empyrean will also be the exclusive manufacturer of The Dwell Homes by Empyrean, adding unique synchrony to the partnership. The homes will be manufactured at the Empyrean factory in Acton, Massachusetts with regional offices serving clients throughout the country.

Each home is pre-cut and panelized for easy assembly in a fraction of the time that it takes to assemble a typical architecturally designed home.

"Our association with Dwell and a group of bold modernist architects is a key element in the transformation of our company from a manufacturing firm that designs into the only architectural firm that manufactures its homes," says Michael Harris, Empyrean president and CEO.

Specifications

All designs are available in two levels and square footage for each of the three designs ranges from 2526 to 3044 square feet not including optional porches and decks. The FlatPak and Empyrean designs feature post and beam structural systems; the Resolution: 4 Architecture is wood frame. All designs are pre-specified for interior doors and finishes, floor, wall and roof systems, stairs and rails, windows and sliding doors, and cabinets and casework.

Though prices vary based on selected size and local labor costs, the average cost of a 2,500 square foot Dwell Home is estimated to range between $175-$250 per square foot.

Design Seminars

The Dwell Homes by Empyrean will launch at a series of kick-off events throughout the Fall.

   San Francisco   October 26
   Los Angeles     October 27
   New York        November 10
   Annapolis       November 11
   Boston          November 12

For more information, please visit www.thedwellhomesbyempyrean.com .

About Dwell

Dwell was created to expand perceptions of the word "home" and champion an aesthetic in home design that is modern, idea-driven and sensitive to social and physical surroundings. Its inherent passion for "bringing good design to everyone" has helped propel the prefab movement onto the national stage. For more information visit www.dwellmag.com.

Source: Dwell Magazine

CONTACT: Shelley Kieran of Dwell Magazine, , or

Web site: http://www.dwellmag.com/