Best known for their renovations of homes by Richard Neutra, Frank Lloyd Wright, and R.M. Schindler, and for such buildings as the TBWA/Chiat/Day headquarters in San Francisco, Marmol Radziner + Associates is one of the few design/build firms in the country led by architects. For their Dwell Home submission, MR + A focused on creating a system that would allow for ease of mass production across the globe. The proposed house utilizes steel-frame units, each measuring 12 by 12 by 18 feet, making duplication and various configurations extremely straightforward. The architects’ plan allows for the steel frame to be clad in transparent, translucent, or opaque wall systems. The steel-frame modules would be assembled at the factory, and the walls and glazing would be positioned at the factory as well. Modules would then be trucked individually to the site, where each one is placed on the poured foundation with a crane. The modules can be fitted vertically or horizontally, and the roofs can be flat or slanted. Additional parts, such as decks and patios, are added at this point, and additional modules can be added as needed. The design also incorporates many affordable green design components such as fly ash concrete for the foundation and Electric Arc Furnace steel for the frames.

Due to the pre-existing network of steel-frame factories, MR + A believes that the obstacle of manufacturing and distribution would be a non-issue. Cost savings would be significant due to the advantages of off-site production, and the controlled environment would also allow for less waste compared to site-built construction.