Located just south of Downtown Berkeley, 2711 Shattuck is a 22-unit building that serves as housing for students of UC Berkeley. The project is at the forefront of prefabricated modular steel construction, and is the first to be built using this technology in the U.S. 

Each living module is an efficient micro-unit, with thoughtfully designed interiors, ample storage, and large operable windows. The building’s warm palette includes materials such as wood panels and perforated corten steel that will help make the building a place for students to call home. Amenities include a backyard and a car-share space for the residents’ convenience. 

2711 Shattuck provided the owner with a test case for utilization of overseas manufacturing to see if it could scale to support much larger projects. The simple floor plan of all studios on a double loaded corridor was perfect for factory built housing. Modular helped to optimize speed of construction, with the four-story building going up in just one week. 

While working with an overseas factory helped achieve a higher level of finishes due to accessing materials at lower cost than in the U.S., the project presented a learning opportunity for the project team as they worked to plan meetings in different time zones, manage the nuances of building code, and coordinate international inspections.