U.S. construction tech company Cassette has launched new stackable apartment pods that assemble into full apartment buildings. The first-of-its kind product is expected to shave half the time off construction schedules and help get more affordable rental homes to market faster. The new line was produced in collaboration with California modernist design luminaries, Hodgetts + Fung.

Taking a new approach to modular construction, Cassette says its business model was inspired by process-oriented brands that have successfully transformed complex industries, such as air travel, food distribution, and now construction.

“Cassette’s entire apartment units are manufactured in a factory then stacked quickly like LEGOs,” said Founder & CEO Dafna Kaplan. “We are focused on standardizing the multifamily building process and making sure it works for every developer, every time, and that it is easy for any architect or contractor to use.”

In the U.S., where a national housing shortage due to record low interest rates and a decade of under-building has led to a severe supply-demand imbalance, new housing construction has fallen drastically behind. Home sales have boomed, active housing listings have dropped, and the median home sale price has surged. In 2020, 46 per cent of American renters spent 30 per cent or more of their income on housing, and now rents have reportedly hit a record high for the 17th month in a row.

Cassette’s process

With a goal to reduce the cost of multifamily housing construction by 30 per cent in three years while also doubling the speed of housing production, Cassette says its streamlined process involves simultaneously producing the housing pods in a factory as the land undergoes preparation, a step that can shave 30 to 50 per cent off the schedule. Also, by converting 50 per cent of building design toward a fixed product and pricing model, more predictability can be achieved.

The first one-bedroom apartment pods are just under 600-square feet in size, and include an “impeccably detailed” bathroom, bedroom, laundry cabinet, double wardrobe, and chef’s kitchen. The interiors, designed by Hodgetts + Fung, feature a bedroom with a large clerestory window to draw in natural light and a sliding wall panel.

Find out more by visiting: Cassette – Modular Construction Systems (cassettesystems.com)