Thomas Edison was a pioneer in many fields, including prefabricated housing. In 1908 and 1909, Edison designed a series of complex cast-iron molds to serve as forms for his concrete houses. Edison’s molds, once assembled, would produce in a single operation, walls, floors, stairways, roof, bath and laundry tubs, as well as conduits for electric and water service. A single house would require a mold composed of 2300 pieces. In the end only a few houses were ever built as the initial investment and the complexity of each project was enormous.
