Protobuilding Projects

The Protobuilding philosophy is similar to prototyping; however, the objective is not to create a product that can be mass-produced but rather to develop a process of continuous experimentation and learning. The purpose is to create a process that will promote the integration of various design philosophies using systems thinking that may lead to knowledge development and sharing to encourage the development of sustainable buildings with improved functionality while improving construction and project management productivity, thus becoming a beacon of hope for the built environment. Here are some of the projects where we have applied this philosophy.

30 Years of Democracy: Thanks Sian Tiley-Nel and University of Pretoria Museums for collaborating with us in designing, and sharing our installation celebrating 30 Years of Democracy. This was a wonderful interdepartmental project supported by the York Timbers Research Chair.

ProtoMod: The goal of this project is to design a versatile, modular living unit that can be easily disassembled and reassembled into diverse secondary structures. Employing simple, interchangeable modules, it ensures adaptability, spatial needs while minimizing environmental impact and maximizing functional utility.

ProtoFold: To design a roof that could protect wood stock from weather throughout the seasons. Innovative use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) to achieve material efficiency and sustainable design.

GTC Backdrop: A plywood backdrop for the Growing Timber Connections annual conference. The backdrop relies on slot joinery, with the storage solution in mind for easy assembly and disassembly.

Timber Design Comp. Pin-up boards: These are pin-up boards designed for the annual TDC. The panels are made from CLT.

JCP Offices: This project is about redesigning the three distinct space using plywood and CLT to create a move cohesive work environment throughout the office.

RAW MODULAR workshops

At Raw Modular, they live, develop, prototype, and make sustainable modular design solutions, furniture systems, and compact living structures that simplify how you work and live. We have been honing our modular design services for over 16 years. If there is one thing we have learned, it is to stick to our guns, focus our approach, and get even better at what we are good at—because simple is hard.

Peet and Raw Modular have taken an active role in preparing designers for the future.

Raw Modular hosts several educational programs and workshops yearly to help introduce young designers to the future of building with sustainable modular components.

Collab projects

Summer camp '24 week 1 & 2

RAW Modular hosted its first summer camp of the year, bringing together 20 students across multiple disciplines to collaborate and explore new ways of design thinking. The challenge was to design a modular cabin-like structure that would cater to these specific needs: a kitchenette, lounge area, sleep area, and bathroom. The cabin had to be constructed using ‘building blocks’ that can be disassembled and reassembled to a completely new configuration.

Summer camp '25 week 1 & 2

The summer camp was focused on ProtoMod. Mainly on its prefabrication, assembly, and disassembly. The students were given a 3D model of the cabin as well as smaller-scale pieces to construct the cabin but also to reconfigure the panels to build various other structures.