Techbuilt was a company founded Carl Koch in the early 1950s.
After receiving his architectural training at Harvard, Koch taught architecture at MIT. First introduced in 1953, the Techbuilt house was a low-cost, semi-factory-built modern style house, which used modular construction.
The Techbuilt house was based on a consistent four-foot wide module for all major building components such as wall, floor, and roof panels. The pieces were delivered by truck and could be erected in a few days.
The Techbuilt homes, which include both one and two-story models, are characterized by simplicity of shape, pitched roofs and overhanging eaves and the extensive use of glass, especially on the wide glazed gabled ends. The exteriors of the houses are typically clad in vertical cedar siding with panels between the stories. The Techbuilt houses incorporated various structural innovations including the use of modular prefabricated stressed skin panels rather than conventional framing and the use of steel posts and wooden beams for support rather than load bearing walls. In keeping with Techbuilt philosophy, the houses are typically set into a natural and wooded landscape. In some cases the owners also purchased carports or garages.
The Techbuilt House was featured in various national publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Parents Magazine and was awarded the American Institute of Architects “Best Development House” Award. By the end of 1957, Techbuilt homes had been constructed in thirty-two states.
I have the original brochure that came with our house in 1958. What a fascinating document!
Get a copy here: Download 1 Techbuilt brochure
Note: It is a large file and my take a moment to download.
