How do you transform over 2 million Dutch terraced houses into more spacious, neutral-energy homes while they're still being inhabited? According to a team of TU Delft students, a solution to that is Prêt-à-Loger.



Translated to "ready to be lived in," the Prêt-à-Loger model was developed to preserve the historic Dutch row house, which was mass-produced for the middle class during the post-war period. The row house remains as the most common house typology in The Netherlands and is a cultural icon for many Dutch residents.

Trying to preserve and sustainably enhance the houses to modern-day standards, the Prêt-à-Loger team designed an adaptable "skin" made of solar panels and smart technology that can be applied to the house's facade. The skin can be customized to the various shapes and sizes of the homes.



The team recently celebrated the official kick-off of Prêt-à-Loger. With the support of partner organizations, they plan to implement the concept to a local neighborhood in Honselersdijk (Westland) as a case-study in preparation for the Solar Decathlon Europe 2014 this summer in Versailles.

Watch the video below for more.