Describing building components or entire structures that are manufactured in a factory before being transported and assembled at the construction site. This method typically offers advantages in quality control, construction speed, and cost efficiency.
From Latin prefix 'prae-' (before) and 'fabricatus' (made, constructed). The concept emerged during the Industrial Revolution but gained architectural prominence in the 20th century with modernist architects embracing mass production principles.
Prefabricated architecture democratized good design by making it mass-producible! From the Sears Catalog homes of the early 1900s to today's sleek modular houses, prefab challenges the idea that custom-built is always better - sometimes the factory can deliver higher quality and better design than site-built construction.
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