South Australia’s modular homes challenge old prefab stereotypes

Mention modular housing and it’s easy to picture something compact, temporary or a little utilitarian. A new display site shows it's anything but.A new demonstration site for modular housing in South Australia breaks down preconceptions about the style of building. Image: Renewal SAWalking through South Australia’s new modular housing demonstration site in Adelaide’s north, one of the most striking things is just how normal these homes feel – the ceilings are high, bedrooms are big and the open-plan living areas feel expansive, with plenty of natural light. It is exactly the kind of reaction Renewal SA is hoping to provoke.“There are still a lot of misconceptions about modular, transportable housing,” says Peter Gatsios, Renewal SA’s executive director of residential project delivery and assets.“Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been facilitating walkthroughs of these homes with local councils, industry bodies and heads of government departments, and most people are surprised by what they see, often comparing them to their own homes.”The purpose-built demonstration site at Edinburgh, in Adelaide's outer north, forms part of a $3.35 million Renewal SA trial examining whether mode...