Blokable selects WHA Inc. as architecture partner, streamlining compliance with toughest building codes in the U.S.

SEATTLE, March 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Blokable, the vertically integrated housing developer that builds high-quality, low-cost, and connected housing, has selected WHA, the comprehensive land planning and architectural design firm, as its architecture partner to oversee code compliant design and architecture of projects Blokable is developing. WHA will work with Blokable’s design process to comply with various jurisdictional codes and regulations. WHA will also create plans and contextual features appropriate for the communities in which Blokable is developing projects. By streamlining design and code review for the most stringent jurisdictions in the U.S., WHA enables Blokable to further drive costs out of development, expedite the approval process for both market rate and not-for-profit projects, and quickly and cost-effectively build beautiful, energy efficient, comfortable, and modern housing where it’s needed most.

Blokable’s project partners include land owners, investors, and nonprofit housing service providers who are looking for less costly and more efficient alternatives to traditional market rate development or who want to broaden access to affordable and work-force housing in their communities. Blokable has reinvented the development process with a global first—a vertical platform that integrates planning, permitting, siting, design, manufacturing, delivery, and ongoing support into one transparent and easily managed service. By offering the entire real estate development stack, Blokable can drastically cut overall project time and slash project costs as well as reduce long-term operating and maintenance costs.

“In the construction industry, time is money. WHA combines deep architectural expertise with a thorough understanding of how our product works, bringing us the additional flexibility to operate in the most expensive and housing-stressed areas of the country,” said Blokable Co-CEO Nelson del Rio.

The proprietary Blokable Building System, implemented in the company’s factory in Vancouver, Washington, unlocks previously unavailable efficiencies through just-in-time manufacturing of standardized, prefab housing components called Bloks, which can be easily combined and stacked into a variety of custom configurations—including high-density, multi-story residential.

“A common pitfall of other prefab and modular construction technologies is that they must adapt to local building codes, which vary across states and municipalities,” continued del Rio. “Too often the result is custom projects that further drive up the cost of development. Working with WHA means we can deliver a standardized and repeatable product anywhere, completely vetted and code compliant, without compromising cost, build quality, or livability.”

“WHA is pleased to provide our architectural expertise to help Blokable scale up its innovative housing development platform,” said Ron Nestor, Senior Principal at WHA. “A key advantage of the Blokable Building System is its transparency—providing the cost and performance profile upfront and eliminating the need to adjust the bill of materials to meet cost and site requirements. This lets WHA focus on applying the Blokable system to deliver the best architectural plan and design for the site.”

“We need to reduce the cost and complexity of housing creation,” added Blokable Co-CEO Aaron Holm. “We’re working with WHA to ensure our total compliance with state and local codes so that we can focus on our goal of expanding prosperity and equity through housing. It’s exciting to see how quickly WHA can create a fully compliant and costed site plan using the Blokable Building System.”

About Blokable

Founded by real estate and technology industry veterans, Blokable is a self-performing housing developer that expands prosperity and equity in communities by building high-quality, low-cost, connected housing at scale. Blokable offers the world’s first vertically integrated housing development platform—from financing, permitting, and siting, to building design, manufacturing, delivery, and ongoing support. For real estate owners and investors, nonprofit housing service providers, and municipalities, Blokable offers a compelling alternative to the costly and inefficient traditional development process. By turning development into a transparent, precise, and easily managed service, Blokable also disrupts housing creation models that maximize industry profits at the expense of communities. Blokable’s one-stop solution de-risks and accelerates the construction of affordable and modern housing where it is needed most, while giving its partners and customers absolute certainty on cost, product, and quality from Day One.

Find out more at www.blokable.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About WHA Inc.

WHA Inc. (William Hezmalhalch Architects) is a comprehensive land planning and architectural design firm that specializes in the shaping of new communities and reshaping of urban and existing in-town neighborhoods. For over 37 years, WHA has been the go-to firm for creating projects rich in diversity, creativity, and forward-thinking solutions. With offices located in Orange County, Los Angeles and Bay Area, California, WHA has served numerous agencies, builders, and developers, with an intense effort to over-satisfy and maintain their confidence. Find out more at www.whainc.com.