"Puzzle Piece" Houses

Concept of creating customizable program pieces.. bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom, etc and designing them in a way to be able to be assembled in multiple layouts like a "unit" puzzle OR having pre-created units designed to suit most needs.

Different configurations of unit layouts with standard sized "pieces"

These could then be arranged on site relative to each other w/ respect to siting elements and could integrate with the site through added on landscape elements.

Unit aggregation - lacking reference to site, creation of unique environments.

Unit aggregation - variable unit shape/size - prefab complete units stacked together (no thought to MEP systems/distribution)

Moshe Safdie's Habitat 67 as prefab aggregated housing - creates unique spaces out of similar shaped objects based on layout. 

-- If the site is being created through the destruction of abandoned homes/leveling lots - how can the buildings react to the site without creating a fully "designed" environment?

-- How can units practically be stuck together without creating "boxes"?  Is this desirable?

Housing with Identity in Detroit

Historic regional midwestern home:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20235698_20532534,00.html

How do you define a prototype for multi-family housing that doesn't look like either of these:

Large block of apartments - example

Suburban sprawl - example

But instead interacts with the site, creates a sense of unique place for its residents, allows for urban density while still providing comfortable (?) amount of space.

Should it be multi-story? Single story? Should access corridors and community spaces be indoor (prefab?) or outdoor?

Prefab lends itself to components - how does being one entity (unit/program) vs multiple entities with shared walls get into prefab process?  Should units share walls and how should they?

What about it makes it in DETROIT?  Why is this design process used in Detroit in particular?

Interesting precedents

David Hill and in situ studio - Prefab housing proposal in NC

http://www.insitustudio.us/home-competition

Link to competition results - Building Trust International
Design a $30,000 single family home within an urban environment

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.399573886759163.82201.145666808816540&type=3