MODS Willamette is a prefabricated apartment complex located within the St. Johns neighborhood of North Portland. The six dwelling units are comprised of four prefab modular structures, carefully arranged on the 5,000 square foot lot to capture views of the St. John’s Bridge and Forest Park beyond. The rectangular wood frame structures were fabricated in the MODS PDX warehouse nearby in North Portland, shipped and craned into place all within a single day. The building is outfitted with both a photo-voltaic solar array and solar water heating system, along with passive shading systems to better offset the building’s energy consumption. The prefabrication process allowed for an intensive regulation of construction techniques and tolerances, offering opportunities for testing and refinement the building assemblies to create an efficient, high-performing building that responds to both its immediate context and the dynamic environment of the Pacific Northwest.
