OpenBuilt
Built for longevity, designed for change
Some elements of a home should last for centuries—while others may require more frequent change. In traditionally-built homes, short and long-lived materials are intertwined, making preservation difficult or impossible over time.
Bensonwood disentangles these systems, creating an airtight, insulated, structural shell, that is separate from the more frequently updated parts of the home. Extensive remodeling of interior spaces can be performed without disturbing the home’s most durable and longest-lived elements.
SITE
∞
SKIN
40-100 YRS
STRUCTURE
100-300 YRS
SERVICE
100-300 YRS
SPACE
10-30 YRS
STUFF
5-10 YRSA layered approach to building
Click on the layers of the building below to learn more about the role it plays in making the home durable, adaptable, and comfortable.
GUIDE
Choosing Land for Your New Home
The OpenBuilt system delivers a more comfortable, durable, and adaptable home.
Single-Family Homes
Pre-designed homes and customizable Design-Build solutions.
Consistent Comfort
Remains warm or cool during power outages, even for extended periods and in extreme weather conditions.
Lower Cost
Minimizes heating, cooling, and electricity operating costs.
Quiet Inside
Remains quiet inside, even when it’s loud outside.
Critter Resistant
Nearly impossible for critter infestations.
Keeps Pollutants Out
Minimizes heating, cooling, and electricity operating costs.
Excellent Indoor Air Quality
Allows only clean, filtered air into the living space, even when extreme pollution is present outside (like smoke from a wildfire).
Easily Renovated
Makes future interior renovations easier, since interior walls are separate from the timber super-structure and are not load bearing.
Easily Updated
Allows for easier repairs and updates to shorter-lifespan components like siding, sheetrock, wiring, and plumbing, with less waste and damage to the overall structure.