McNair Summer Research Program
Faculty Mentor(s)
Daniel Lopez-Perez
Publication Date
8-7-2026
Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement
This research examines over a century of prefabricated housing to understand how standardized housing production has evolved and continues to influence housing today. By investigating archival records of historical prefabricated housing, alongside contemporary pre-approved housing plans, this study shows how housing has been designed across different time periods. By comparing historical and modern examples, the research identifies recurring strategies for increasing efficiency, reducing construction time, and expanding access to housing. As communities across the United States continue to face a housing shortage, this research is relevant following the recent passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which encourages faster, more efficient housing development. This study of historical housing projects over the past 200 years ultimately develops a timeline that categorizes these projects by material type and their place in time. This timeline highlights major shifts and advancements in material innovations, while demonstrating the continued evolution of prefabricated and modular housing. Alongside this, a Contemporary map was developed as well to display the different cities across the US that offer these free downloadable pre-approved plans. These drawings demonstrate the progression of different material uses in prefabricated and modular housing as well as the present-day strategies employed to combat the housing crisis. Conducted in collaboration with San Diego’s Policy and Innovation Center, this research explores how the past can help inform today’s housing solutions.