Each material carries a different promise: strength, warmth, lightness. Here is how they complement one another in modular architecture designed to last.
In modular architecture, the choice of materials is not only a matter of aesthetics: it determines the durability, upkeep and thermal behaviour of the home over several decades.
Understanding the subject
Galvanised steel has become the benchmark structure for prefabricated modular homes. Treated against corrosion, it offers high mechanical strength for a controlled weight, a decisive advantage for transporting and installing a module built in a workshop. The precision of industrial manufacturing also guarantees consistent geometry from one module to the next, an essential condition for rapid assembly on site.
Going further
Wood, for its part, remains the exterior envelope material par excellence for its balance of warmth and authenticity. Class 3 or 4 treated wood cladding resists UV and the weather while developing a natural patina over time, which differs from one region to another depending on exposure and climate. This evolution is not a defect: it is part of the life of the material.
Glass, finally, is no longer limited to a simple opening: large glazed bays now shape the relationship between a home and its landscape. Low-emissivity (low-e) double glazing limits heat loss in winter while filtering part of the solar radiation in summer, an essential balance once glazed surfaces become significant in the design.
Practical advice
What distinguishes architecture designed to last is therefore not the use of one "noble" material rather than another, but the coherence between structure, envelope and openings, each chosen for what it does best and assembled so that the whole ages well. Details of our materials and the associated guarantees are available on the Our approach page.
Architectural perspective
Frequently asked questions
Does wood cladding require any particular maintenance?
Class 3 or 4 treated cladding is designed for minimal maintenance. It evolves naturally over time (a grey patina if not treated in depth), which is part of its character rather than a defect.
Why favour galvanised steel for the structure?
It combines lightness, mechanical strength and good durability thanks to its anti-corrosion treatment, a compromise particularly well suited to workshop building and to the transport of prefabricated modules.
