Abstract
This research explores the origins of prefabricated housing (prefab) in the United States from the early to mid-20th century and its expansion not only throughout the United States, but also into the mass production of housing in other countries. Prefab appeared not only as a way to address the need for more houses after the World Wars, but also as a result of the desire for a new life in modern times. Moreover, prefab housing is strongly related to the development of greater mechanization and industrialization which enables mass production in housing. However, the beginnings of such mechanization and industrialization in architecture did not emerge abruptly in modern times, but had its origins in other movements, such as CIAM (Congrès internationaux d'architecture moderne), the International Style, and others in Europe before the 20th century. Through these processes, mechanization and industrialization were adapted to the architecture of the United States in the early 20th century, and this process played an important role in changing modern life in America, especially with respect to mass production in housing. In addition, adopting mechanization in architecture helped to overcome the shortage of housing in the mid-20th century. In order to identify the origins of this process, this research scrutinizes the beginning of mechanization and industrialization in Europe and traces how these ideas were adopted in the United States. Moreover, this research explores a pioneering engineer, Robert Gilmore (R.G.) LeTourneau, who introduced the idea of the machine in America's housing improvement through his inventions, such as the "steel panel system" and the so-called "Tournalayer" machine. In this sense, this research helps to identify the essence and origins of prefabricated housing through the example of America's prefabricated buildings. This research also suggests that the example of the United States influenced the mass production of housing in other countries.
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