New York startup Liv-Connected has released a modular approach to housing that tackles the homebuilding market's material and skilled labor shortages and limited housing inventory.
Cofounded by architects Jordan Rogove, Wayne Norbeck, Joe Wheeler, and healthcare professional Dr. Herb Rogove in 2019 (Jordan Rogove and Wayne Norbeck are also cofounders of NYC-based architecture firm DXA Studio), the endeavor aimed to seek a solution to disaster-relief housing that embodied a sense of permanence and resulted in an affordable, sustainable, and high-quality, health-centered solution to homebuilding.
The emergence of Liv-Connected reflects the commitment to homeowners' health and wellness and their team of architects and healthcare providers. "We started with the assumption that disaster housing could be so thoughtful that it might become permanent," shared Norbeck during a conversation with Forbes' Jennifer Castenson. "We were interested in the possibility of creating something that wouldn't be wasteful, and that would give consumers access to a beautifully designed home. This is an example where, in designing for the most vulnerable, we've done something that could benefit everyone."
Liv-Connected aims to offer a health-centered design approach to those seeking relief from disasters to families and individuals looking for permanent housing. According to their website, the Liv-Connected team explains these homes are "designed to meet a number of needs."
Beyond the technological additions such as smart mirrors, fall protection, and biometric sensors that meet personal medical needs — this health-focused approach appears in the specified materials of each home. Liv-Connected home materials are low or no emission and selected to meet air quality measures.
The construction process of Liv-Connected homes is carried out with cartridges and flat-pack components that allow for a standardized approach for manufacturing and shipping in a manner that simplifies the assemblage and placement under various configurations and uses. Their manufacturing partner, ATOMIC Homes, brings years of precision construction and modular expertise to the process, maximizing quality and efficiency.
Liv-Connected designed this system as "component-linked construction (CLiC)" which allows shipping and assembling parts in a consolidated, quick, and accurate manner at a much lower cost than competitor modular home developers, according to the company. The following graphic illustrates a breakdown of home details and how each shipping component is then downsized for efficiency and affordability.
"There was careful design of the components to break down and be re-assembled in a simple way including the roof panels, wall panels, and key components, such as the kitchen and bathroom," Norbeck shared with Forbes. "We worked very hard to coordinate with our team to consolidate building systems within individual components, or to accommodate simple connections between components."
With the ability to be shipped at a rapid rate without compromising the freedom of customization, DXA celebrates the launch of Liv-Connected, an alleviator to the current housing shortage that employs technological additions, environmental care, and affordable living — all carried out within six months from order to delivery.
3 Comments
This is just another glorified trailer/RV home. How does it address home shortages when one of the main issue is availability/affordability of land? You can't just buy one of these fad tiny-homes and park it wherever you want.
It doesn't ... But I love it when architects show their entrepreneurial spirit and take a chunk of the building business.
They are pretty damn nice
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.