Mr. Nitze relied on a customizable set of prefabricated building blocks called an itHouse.

WSJ: The Do-It-Yourself Desert Retreat

The developer recently confirmed that it was considering building thousands of units of modular housing, making one of the proposed high-rises, at 32 stories, the tallest prefabricated residential building in the world.

WSJ: Barclays Center's Exercise in Bland

When it comes to custom-made, high-tech home building, prefabricated home systems can be a boon.

FORBES: Amazing High-Tech Homes