The 194x House: Economy, Efficiency, and Prefabrication

The Second World War transformed Florida residential architecture in the 1940s through development of new technologies: prefabrication, material innovations, increased industrial production, innovations lighting, and improvement thermal comfort design. These technological advancements combined with budget constraints cultural shifts from called for a national dialogue to define what was ideal postwar home. Architects faced tension between mass-production individualization houses efforts planning house within limited budgets. Thus, Economy House introduced address competing requirements standardization customization. Through examining September 1942 issue trade journal Architectural Forum dedicated or 194x house, this paper looks at how prefabrication homes were able work together create “economy home”. editors Forum, posed key question architects construction professionals: “How can be made most-wanted commodity competitive marketplace” (The Editors, 1942)? war's rapid led conclude that customization individual needs would determinant after war. developments, coupled emerging financial home ownership resulted on house. Thirty-three designers presented proposals 1942. This examines these resolved conflict home.”