FRANK Home Design Tool
A digital tool that embeds architectural intelligence into a simple, intuitive interface, empowering anyone to create well-designed homes tailored to their exact needs.
The project began with a striking discovery: 98% of homes are not designed by an architect. Single-family houses shape the American landscape and identity, yet they remain among the least thoughtfully designed elements in our built environment.
FRANK experiments with the idea of turning design into a system and tool that allows architects to engage with the broadest public possible. So far, we’ve helped design and build over 100 houses across the United States — with almost every state home to at least one FRANK house.
The name “FRANK” draws inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright, who began his career designing single-family homes. The pig comes from the folk tale "The Three Little Pigs" . It playfully symbolizes the spirit of building a home, bridging the world of architecture with the hands-on creativity of the DIY community.
Design as a Tool
'design with frank' puts powerful design tools in the hands of ordinary people and believes that good house design shouldn’t have to be a luxury. Homeowners could use the latest technology to bring their visions into life without hiring an architect. When completed, users can receive industry-standard construction drawings to start their self-build journey in confidence. The software also provides a sophisticated map system, using satellite imagery and vector world data to visualize the user’s house in the chosen physical site. After users are satisfied with their design, they can interchange roof types and exterior materials to suit different climates.
Block Building System
Homes designed with ‘frank’ software are created with sustainability at their core, factoring in solar gain and continuous insulation to minimize heat loss. The house blocks are compact to maximize their usage and building with ‘frank’ can reduce the harmful impact on the environment by using less energy and natural resources. With a built-in cost estimate, users can see how their design and material choices might impact their overall build budget. Once the users are satisfied with their design, they can purchase a 3D printed model of the designed house to study further. Furthermore, the tool offers two drawing packages; an initial and a complete construction set. A self-build project can go from an idea in someone’s head to correctly annotated architectural plans ready for permitting and construction in a few short weeks. 'design with frank’ can also integrate other designers’ creations into its system.
Digital Modern Farm House
FRANK reimagines the digital-age interpretation of the farmhouse and rural living. We explore the concept of giving people modular building blocks that integrate seamlessly into the single-family landscape. The rendering illustrates a countryside farmhouse, blending rustic charm with the immersive experience of modern digital technology.
Build in Michigan
The first FRANK house was completed in Grayling, Michigan. The client collaborated with our software and design team to bring the home to life, using a SIP panel system for efficient, high-performance construction.
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