Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Philippe Starck Dreams Up Super Green Prefab System

Philippe Starck Dreams Up Super Green Prefab System

The famed designer on how his modular living system offers a new, greener take on housing.

"Building one’s own house can be a source of extreme danger," says French designer Philippe Starck. "We all know when it starts, but we never know when it is going to end or how much it will cost in the end."



The new, ecologically minded P.A.T.H. prefab prototype-designed by French designer Philippe Starck in tandem with the Slovenian prefab homebuilder Riko-was recently built for the first time at a test site in Montfort l’Amaury near Paris.

Considering his background, and the fact that this industrial designer’s work has touched nearly every facet of the built environment, it’s no surprise that his solution to home buying was to industrialize the process. But his new P.A.T.H. prototype-designed in tandem with the Slovenian prefab homebuilder Riko, and recently built for the first time at a test site in Montfort l’Amaury near Paris-is as ecologically sound as it is precisely engineered.



The P.A.T.H. system isn’t just another glass box. Customization technology at the Riko factory allows potential homeowners to choose from 34 variations on a theme, with alternating sizes (roughly 1,500-3,800 square feet), sides (wooden walls to an all-glass shell) and shapes (cornice, flat, or pitched roof). The price per square meter (upwards of $530 per square foot) certainly isn’t inconsequential, but as Starck says, "It’s not [just] about better design, it’s all about better quality."

"P.A.T.H. is a positive energy house, which produces 50% more energy than it consumes" says Starck. "The positive energy that isn’t consumed can return to the local electric grid."



"P.A.T.H. is a positive energy house, which produces 50% more energy than it consumes," says Starck, referring to numerous features that can be added to any model, such as wind turbines and solar cells. "The positive energy can be sent back to the local electric grid."

The eco-engineering begins with the exterior, made from sustainably harvested wood and wrapped in a triple-glazed glass envelope with options for wind turbines and DualSun solar panels to provide energy, heat, and water. Modular, high-efficiency SPEETA wood stoves provide additional low-cost heating. According to Starck, it takes six months from order to open house.



The architectural tour de force of the home, according to Riko CEO Janez Skrabec, is the cornice-shaped roof, built from a series of light fiberglass modules that can be disassembled, recycled, reshaped, or reused. In addition to conceling elements such as the wind turbine from view, it also functions as a green roof. "The hollow 'sinks' of the cornice act as flowerpots and are able to host plants, which can be watered with the help of rainwater collection systems," says Skrabec. "Furthermore, the large arches of the roof provide shelter and cast additional shade on the rooms below, combining a number of benefits in a single solution."

"P.A.T.H. houses are built like how we assemble Legos," he says. "All the elements of the houses are prefabricated in Riko’s factories and then assembled on the building site."



"With P.A.T.H., we wanted to enhance coherence and synergy between the architecture and the technical," says Starck. "The objective of our project was to integrate the energy system in the core of the building process. We worked very hard on the quality of the building envelope."

Customization technology at the Riko factory allows potential homeowners to choose from 34 variations on a theme, with alternating sizes (roughly 1,500 to 3,800 square feet), sides (wooden walls to an all-glass shell) and shapes (cornice, flat, or pitched roof). The price per square meter (upwards of $530 per square foot) certainly isn’t inconsequential, but as Starck says, "It’s not [just] about better design; it’s all about better quality."



"With P.A.T.H., I wanted to provide the community with the best product, in terms of quality, technology and durability," says Starck. "Durability and the notion of heritage, which were almost taboos in the ‘70s and ‘80s, are essential today."

"With P.A.T.H., I wanted to provide the community with the best product, in terms of quality, technology and durability," he says. "Durability and the notion of heritage, which were almost taboos in the 70s and 80s, are essential today. In order to guarantee longevity, we must build at the right price, which forces us to arbitrate between various items without being a low-bidder or falling into the opposite, excess. When we pay for what’s visible, we inevitably cut out what is invisible but yet fundamental: quality. I did not want to impose anything to our customers: the architectural possibilities are very flexible."



Starck says that Riko’s experience in prefabrication played an important role in the design and layout of the home system. "The prefabrication process, based on laser-cut technology, allows a surgical precision," he says. "Riko’s expertise enables us to minimize the risks and bad surprises." In the design, the electrical system is hidden behind wooden panels.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
×