Scheduled for groundbreaking in early March 2012, Larchmont will be the first of four LABhaus projects currently scheduled for construction in Westchester County, NY. Built by philaLAB, the 5BR/4Ba project is the product of a six-month collaboration with local engineers and building officials to arrive at a unique solution for the challenging site. The steep one-third acre lot is plagued by exposed or shallow granite bedrock, and an over-burdoned local storm water management system. Added to that, the steep slope and locaiton on a busy local thoroughfare meant that special attention had to be paid to providing for privacy from the road and child-friendly outdoor space.

The final site plan involves a complex terracing scheme, which achieves fill neutrality by using granite chipped onsite to form much of the retaining wall system. The scheme provides for several level areas for parking, outdoor living, and playspace for young children. The level areas also provide storage space for large rainwater rention tanks and drain fields. The permeter of the lot features engineered bioswales which provide for moderate flow of stormwater into the built-up retention system, from which it will slowly seap back into the lower portion of the site, which will feature hydrophylic plantings.

The house is centered around the middle terrace, which serves as semi-private courtyard.

Situated on a beautifully wooded site in East Hampton, this 6-bedroom, 6.5-bath Hamptons Villa will likely be the first LABhaus to be completed in the Hamptons.  The project will be built by Quality Crafted Homes–Named ‘Builder of the Year’ for 2011 by Dan’s Papers–and set new standards for luxury prefab.  The home features such sustainable elements as R-36 wall insulation, high efficiency packaged air conditioners, hydronic radiant heat, and a unique solar screening covering much of the house.

All primary living areas feature direct access to the luxurious pool area, including a roughly 800 square foot indoor-outdoor pavilion offering a luxurious dining area, outdoor bathroom with shower, a chef’s kitchen, and a relaxing living area perfect for watching an afternoon football game.

We will be announcing additional builds in the Hamptons as well as other New York state projects as our design work progresses.  Those interested in our projects in the Hamptons or learning about how we can assist in building the vacation homes of your dreams should email info@labhaus.com or call 215.821.9117.

After an intense deisgn period over the last several months, we look forward to a series of announcements regarding an exciting porfolio of projects set for construction in 2012.  The first among these is a new multi-family project in the ecoMunity line.  The ecoMunity line offers insititutional users and developers a unique opportunity to partner with LABhaus to construct industry-leading sustainable luxury projects at an expectional value.  Those interested in learning more about the ecoMunity line and the exception range of custom options we are able to offer are encourage to contact us for a private consultation.

As the project moves toward construciton and permitting, we will be able to release further information and images.  For the time being, however, we are happy to serve up some images from the design-development phase.

We are excited to release initial imagery of the completed Haddonfield, NJ, project.  The new residents moved in 78 days after the foundation work started.   We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the homeowners throughout the process  and wish them many happy years in their new home.

We will have a range of announcements related to the project and be releasing imagery of our latest work in the coming months.

In the meantime, we would like to thank Jetson Green for their ongoing coverage of this project.  Please view their latest post on the project:

Haddonfield Casestudy on Jetsongreen.com

One very clever South Jersey resident knew the best way to his wife’s hear on Valentine’s Day–a brand new LABhaus!

Just two days after the pre-cast foundation was set in place, Haddonfield and Haddon Township police escorted the five-module project on three trucks through the historic heart of South Jersey.  After spending the weekend next to a neighborhood baseball field, the modules were brought to the job-site early Monday and erected in one dramatic day.  The future home-owners watched as one 80-ton crane and a set-crew of six assembled their new home in just eight hours.  By the end of the day, they were able to walk through the home and their two young boys could visit their future bedrooms for the first time.

The home is expected to be completed within approximately 60 days.  Those interested in learning more about this project or who would like a private tour in early March should contact info@labhaus.com.

We at LABhaus are extremely excited to announce the construction of the first full-production LABhaus home.  The future residents were recently at the factory to watch their home come together and participate in the filming of an upcoming cable television feature on the project.

After staff training and trouble-shooting of the panelized construction technique, the exterior walls were assembled and joined to the floor and ceiling plates on January 13th, 2011.  The windows and kitchen arrived early that day and were installed directly thereafter.  Starting next week, the baths and interior finishes will be installed.  Delivery to the site is anticipated in the first week of February, with delivery to the residents to take place approximately 8 weeks thereafter.

We will be releasing regular updates regarding the progress on LABhaus.com, our Twitter Feed, on on our Facebook pages. Those interested in viewing the project up-close-and-personal should contact LABhaus at 215.821.9117 or info@labhaus.com.

The following videos from our Youtube channel show the connection detail for the panelized wall system (as performed by a very special guest laborer!) and the ceiling assembly being lowered upon one of the modules.

As part of an ongoing ‘Lernen lernen durch Fragen fragen’ (Learning to learn through asking questions) lecture series organized by Something Fantastic, LABhaus will be presenting a lecture on new models of design efficiency at the Universität der Künste in Berlin on Thursday, January 13th.  The lecture specifically shall focus on the LABhaus on-demand delivery model, supply chain optimization to provide higher quality designer and construction at a more affordable price-point, and recent investments made in technological advancements.

Those interested in arranging for future lecture appearances relating to LABhaus in either Central Europe or the United States should make direct inquiries to nebel@labhaus.com.

LABhaus is proud to preview its latest project, located on the ridge of the first Wachtung Mountain overlooking the entirety of New York Harbor, Manhattan, Staten Island, Jersey City, and the lower Hudson Valley.

First and foremost, the project is designed to take full advantage of one of the most dramatic views on the entire East Coast.   The major mass of the home is placed at the rear of the building envelope, allowing uninterrupted views from the east,  south, and north exposures in each room through large plate-glass windows.  Exposures proximate to neighboring structure, on the other hand, are punctuated by long, horizontal windows.  These provide ample light, but preserve privacy.  The west-facing street facade reflects the modest scale of the neighboring mid-century modern houses.  A semi-detached garage clad in a hyper-extended cedar rain-screen both provide an attractive single-story street elevation, and form an inviting private courtyard for the homeowners to enjoy.

Coming of the production of the LABhaus prototype in 2009, LABhaus is proud to announce construction of the first production LABhaus home.  Construction of the custom cabinetry (previewed here) began in December in Philadelphia, PA.   Shortly there after, the panelized wall system were formed and CNC cut in Mansfield, PA.  Construction of the full module began on January 9th in Taylor, PA.   We will post more images and updates as the project progresses.

www.philaLAB.com | 267.455.2000 | sales@philaLAB.com

In the past six years of operation, philaLAB has built some of Center City Philadelphia’s finest and most innovative boutique luxury properties.  philaLAB offers consumers an incredible array of custom finishes, innovative spatial solutions, and knowlege of local neighborhoods and the permitting process. Although philaLAB homes have typically been priced at or above $1m, philaLAB’s partnership with LABhaus offers an exceptional opportunity for buyers in the $200k-400k price range to own one of the city’s finest homes.  Buyers in Philadelphia proper or the surrounding areas are encouraged to contact philaLAB directly to explore what options may exist.

www.philaLAB.com