Architect Russell Versaci Launches 'Pennywise' Line of Modular Homes

Russell Versaci, the architect who has been singing the praises of the modular home building industry for its ability to create green homes for less cost, is now launching a new line of smaller homes. Versaci thinks this new housing economy is finally forcing a halt to the spread of bloated McMansions. He's leading a movement toward smaller, well-built homes that honor our country's architectural roots - houses that are not only sensible and affordable, he said, but "that have a sense of belonging," he told the Baltimore Sun newspaper.

Versaci calls his proposal "The Pennywise House." It's part consciousness-raising effort and part marketing campaign for his house plans. He is working with modular manufacturer Haven Homes to make it happen. The houses will be distinctive not only for their compact size, but also for the quality of workmanship and level of detail that will go into them, Versaci said. What's more, they'll be based on the vernacular architecture of 10 regions of the country, which he thinks will help bring character to the home designs.

Versaci is known as an advocate for crafting homes that look like they've graced the landscape for generations. He has authored two books, Creating a New Old House and Roots of Home, that celebrate the merits of enduring architectural styles, which he sees as becoming lost in the homogenization of American housing.

"I'm just horrified by the monoculture of home building in this country," he told the Baltimore Sun. "Basically, it's like big-box shopping malls - no matter where you go, they're all the same."

Versaci said those houses were inherently green because they were built from local materials and designed to maximize comfort and shelter from the elements. Nevertheless, he said the new homes he's promoting will have even more eco-friendly aspects, such as extra insulation and energy-efficient light fixtures.

Their small size might give some people pause, but Versaci is trying to change the bigger-is-better mentality. His own home, a stone farmhouse built in 1734, is 1,250 square feet, but it's perfectly adequate, he said. Every room will have more than one purpose, he said, and details such as Murphy beds and bookshelves will increase functionality. A self-described "old sailor," he said he designed each house like a yacht. "We're trying to make every inch of space count."

His houses will feature the sorts of amenities usually found only in higher-end homes, such as sophisticated trim moldings, good-quality counters and hardwood floors. "We have this pristine opportunity to start over," he said. "There is a different strategy that we can use from the ground up. And we're going to have to."

Read the full story that appeared in the Baltimore Sun here.