Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×