The International Builders’ Show (IBS) has long been the premier event where the housing industry gathers to showcase what is next for residential construction. The 2019 edition of the IBS Show Village took this tradition to a new level, presenting homes that challenged long-held assumptions about how buildings are designed, fabricated, and delivered. From unfolding houses that arrive on a flatbed trailer to factory-built modular homes that rival the finest site-built craftsmanship, the innovations on display offered a clear signal: the future of home building is being rewritten. For builders seeking fresh approaches to cost, speed, quality, and design flexibility, the lessons from Show Village 2019 remain as relevant today as they were then. This article examines the standout homes and the factory-built housing strategies that defined the event and continue to influence the industry.
The Mid-Century Modern Modular: Proving That Factory-Built Does Not Mean Cookie-Cutter
One of the most striking homes at Show Village 2019 was a 3,200-square-foot, L-shaped mid-century modern residence built by Mods PDX for builder and developer Dan Crosland. With a low-slope shed roof, staggered forms, and an open interior, the home looked nothing like the stereotypical boxy modular house. That was exactly the point.
Crosland, a general contractor turned developer in Las Vegas, wanted a home that reflected the growing demand for mid-century style in the region. But he also wanted the speed and cost control that factory fabrication offers. The challenge was reconciling the two goals without compromising on aesthetics or livable space.
Design-Driven Modular Production
Mods PDX operates differently from traditional modular manufacturers. Rather than running an assembly line with fixed module dimensions, the company runs a stick-framing operation under a roof. This approach allows each module to be built to slightly different dimensions, accommodating the specific spaces and uses the design demands instead of forcing the design to fit predetermined module sizes.
The result for Crosland’s home was six modules, each with slightly different dimensions, that together formed a cohesive, architecturally distinctive residence. The primary public spaces – the kitchen, family room, and dining area – were created by combining two modules into a single 1,400-plus-square-foot open area. A massive pantry with access from both the kitchen and the garage kept storage out of the living spaces, preserving the clean, uncluttered aesthetic that defines mid-century modern design.
Key Advantages of Flexible Modular Construction
- Custom dimensions: Modules can vary in size to match the intended use of each space rather than forcing rooms into fixed module footprints.
- Open floor plans: Combining two or more modules creates large, uninterrupted public spaces that feel anything but factory-built.
- Integrated storage: Strategic pantry and utility placement removes clutter from living areas without sacrificing function.
- Controlled environment: Building indoors eliminates weather delays and improves quality consistency across all trades.
The project demonstrated that modern building technologies have transformed residential construction to the point where factory-built homes can compete with – and in many ways outperform – traditional site-built approaches in both design quality and construction efficiency.
Boxabl: The Folding House That Unfolds on Site
Perhaps the most talked-about exhibit at Show Village 2019 was Boxabl, a folding house concept that arrives on a flatbed trailer as a compact 8.5-foot-wide by 12.5-foot-tall by 40-foot-long package and unfolds on site into a fully finished, dried-in home. The prototype was a 1,600-square-foot dwelling that challenged everything builders think they know about delivery logistics and on-site assembly.
How the Unfolding System Works
Boxabl’s system relies on what the company calls “rooms” – factory-built modules that fold flat for transport and unfold at the jobsite. At Show Village, Boxabl set up two rooms: a public wing with kitchen, dining, and living spaces, and a private wing with two bedrooms and a TV area. The rooms were positioned perpendicular to each other, connected, and finished to create a traditional single-story family home.
Each room arrives pre-wired, pre-plumbed, and ready for fixtures and trim. A flat ceiling folds down to enclose the room on site, after which roof trusses and roofing finish are applied in the field. The system uses magnesium oxide (MgO) panels for the structural shell, combining several trades into a single all-in-one assembly that reduces cycle time and manual labor.
What Boxabl Means for Builders
- Logistics efficiency: A complete home ships on a single flatbed trailer pulled by a pickup truck, eliminating the need for specialized heavy-haul equipment.
- Reduced field labor: Pre-wiring, pre-plumbing, and pre-finished interior surfaces minimize the number of trades needed on site.
- Stackable potential: The standardized room dimensions allow stacking for multistory applications, opening opportunities for for-sale housing, rentals, student housing, and military base housing.
- Material innovation: MgO panels provide fire resistance, durability, and thermal performance in a single panelized system.
The Boxabl concept represented a radical departure from conventional modular construction, and it remains one of the most compelling examples of how rethinking the delivery method itself can unlock dramatic cost and time savings. Builders interested in understanding why most building innovations fail and what actually works can learn valuable lessons from Boxabl’s approach to simplifying the construction process from factory floor to finished home.
The Stuga ADU: Affordable, Scalable, and Repeatable Living Spaces
The accessory dwelling unit (ADU) market has grown rapidly as municipalities relax zoning restrictions and homeowners seek flexible living arrangements for aging parents, adult children, or rental income. At Show Village 2019, Mods PDX and the architecture firm David Architects unveiled Stuga, a purpose-built ADU designed to crack the affordability problem that has long plagued the granny flat market.
A Product, Not a Project
Most ADUs are one-off construction projects, as expensive and time-consuming to build on site as a full-size home. Stuga was designed as a product – a repeatable, factory-built unit that could be delivered at scale with predictable costs and schedules. The 600-square-foot unit is available in five configurations:
| Configuration | Layout Description | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Shift | Single module with flexible interior walls | Home office or guest suite |
| Stretch | Two modules placed end to end | One-bedroom rental unit |
| Box | Two modules flush side by side | Family extension with separate entry |
| Pivot | Two modules at perpendicular angle | Corner lot or irregular setback |
| Studio | Single compact module | Minimalist living or vacation getaway |
Streamlined Design and Delivery
Each Stuga configuration offers a trio of color options and multiple siding and roofing finishes, providing a measure of individual styling without sacrificing production efficiency. The design process was intentionally streamlined: architect Katie David’s firm manages permitting at the state level and coordinates with municipalities and utilities on site details. Mods PDX handles production, foundation work, and service connections.
This integrated approach reduces the burden on the homeowner or developer, who would otherwise need to coordinate multiple contractors, permits, and inspections independently. The factory-built process also ensures that costs remain predictable regardless of scale – a critical factor for builders looking to offer ADUs as a standard product line rather than a custom side project.
The Stuga program aligns closely with the trend toward productized housing solutions that combine design quality with manufacturing discipline to deliver homes that are both beautiful and affordable. For builders considering adding ADUs to their service offerings, the Stuga model demonstrates how repeatable modular construction can create a profitable new revenue stream.
The New American Home 2019: High Performance Meets High Design
The New American Home (TNAH) has been a cornerstone of the IBS experience for decades, showcasing the latest in design, technology, and performance. The 2019 edition, an 8,200-square-foot single-level luxury home perched on a hillside lot with panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip, continued that tradition while pushing the envelope on several fronts.
Site-Responsive Design
Architect Tony Coletti of Coletti Architectural Group approached the TNAH 2019 lot as a unique challenge, allowing the land to inform every design decision. The path and intensity of the sun, the views of the valley, and the surrounding landscape all shaped the home’s configuration. The roof shading the outdoor living space follows the curve of the rear property line. A series of square forms used for several interior spaces are angled at 90 degrees to draw interest, create more usable space, and capture views.
The entry sequence is particularly memorable: a wide, covered walkway provides access to a study on one side and a show garage on the other, the latter augmented by a lounge-like setup with direct access into the house. This thoughtful choreography of arrival spaces sets the tone for the entire home.
High-Performance Building Envelope
TNAH 2019 was built to rigorous performance standards that went well beyond code minimums. Key features included:
- Continuous insulation throughout the building envelope to minimize thermal bridging
- High-performance windows and glazing calibrated to the desert climate
- Advanced air sealing that achieved extremely low air changes per hour
- Mechanical ventilation with energy recovery for continuous fresh air without energy penalty
- Ductwork located entirely within the conditioned envelope
These strategies, combined with the home’s orientation and massing, reduced energy demand substantially compared to a code-built home of similar size. The lessons from building innovation at TNAH 2019 demonstrate that high performance and high design are not competing priorities – they are complementary goals that, when pursued together, produce homes that delight owners and perform exceptionally over time.
Takeaways for Production and Custom Builders
- Site-responsive design does not require a custom architect for every lot. Establish design rules that respond to orientation, views, and solar exposure, then apply them consistently across your product line.
- Performance features are marketable differentiators. Buyers increasingly understand and value lower utility bills, improved comfort, and healthier indoor environments.
- The entry sequence matters. The moment a buyer arrives sets expectations for the entire home. Invest in the arrival experience even on modest floor plans.
- Continuous insulation and air sealing are the foundation of high performance. These strategies deliver the greatest return on investment for both energy savings and comfort.
Conclusion
The IBS 2019 Show Village offered a compelling preview of where residential construction was heading. From Boxabl’s folding house that reimagined logistics and assembly to Mods PDX’s flexible modular approach that proved factory-built homes can be architecturally distinctive, the innovations on display shared a common thread: each one challenged an assumption about how homes must be built and offered a better way.
For builders, the enduring lesson is that innovation in home building does not always mean inventing something entirely new. Often it means combining existing technologies in smarter ways, rethinking delivery and assembly methods, or applying manufacturing discipline to traditionally craft-based processes. The homes at Show Village 2019 showed that whether through modular construction, panelized systems, or high-performance building science, the path to better homes lies in questioning conventions and embracing new approaches. Builders who take these lessons to heart will find themselves better equipped to deliver homes that are faster to build, more cost-effective, and more appealing to today’s buyers.