NEW YORK – Christa Walker’s new home was designed by an architect, made of environmentally friendly materials, and will arrive at the lot in just a few pieces -straight from the factory that built it.

The word “prefab” rarely inspires excitement from buyers like Walker and her partner Ami McElroy, who initially conjured up images of mobile homes and vinyl siding. But the two are among a small but growing number of homeowners who are interested in design but unable to afford the exclusive services of an architect, and who’ve turned to prefab homes.

“We really couldn’t afford a custom house that would meet our style and our sensibility,”said Walker, whose 1,510-square-foot home on Vashon Island, Wash., is scheduled to reach the site this month.

Michelle Kaufmann, the San Francisco architect who designed their home, on a model she calls Glide House, said her goal was to create affordable modern designs that can be reproduced for multiple customers- a movement she and architects like her call mass customization.

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