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News & Press
AIA Detroit co.de.D
Computational Design Award 2026
Award: Recipient of the 2026 Computational Design Award
Organizer: AIA Detroit co.de.D (Committee on Design & Technology)
P[A]D is honored to receive the 2026 Computational Design Award from AIA Detroit’s co.de.D committee for our project, “Manufacturing the Future of Housing.”
Selected by a distinguished national jury of industry leaders, the project was recognized for its visionary approach to mass-customized housing—leveraging a kit-of-parts system inspired by the automotive industry to address current housing shortages with scalable, flexible, and affordable solutions.
NVIDIA Inception Startup
STARTUP PROGRAM / AI
NVIDIA Inception Program Member
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[PAD] is part of NVIDIA Inception, an exclusive program designed to nurture startups revolutionizing industries through advancements in AI, spatial computing, and digital fabrication.
Rally SEA Cohort
ACCELERATOR / COHORT
Rally SEA Cohort Participant
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Selected as part of the Rally Accelerator, [PAD] joined a community of mission-driven ventures working to develop scalable solutions to critical community challenges. Through mentorship, business strategy, social impact development, and real-world collaboration, the program supported PAD’s continued growth at the intersection of modular housing, innovation, and community resilience.
UofM Ross School of Business – MAPS Program Awardee
ACADEMIC / BUSINESS STRATEGY
UofM Ross School of Business MAPS Program Awardee
Awarded participation in the Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP) program at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, collaborating with top MBA talent to optimize business growth and scaling strategies for P[A]D.
UofM Taubman College –
Research Partnership
RESEARCH / ACADEMIC
University of Michigan Taubman College Research Partnership
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[PAD] is building an emerging research partnership with U-M Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning — beginning with sponsored research on how incrementally owned, adaptable dwelling systems change housing affordability, residential stability, and community formation.
Michigan Tech Week
Featured Speaker at Michigan Tech Week
“We don’t think outside the box — we don’t even see the box.”
We were invited to speak at Latino Voices in Tech (Michigan Tech Week) to share how Design Think Tank challenges conventional limits in architecture and urban design. From early community lighting initiatives in Detroit to scalable, affordable housing systems like P.A.D., we break down how advanced manufacturing and design thinking can build stronger communities.
Foro 70x70
INTERNATIONAL FORUM
Foro 70x70 — Strategic Sponsorship
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PAD supported Foro 70x70 as a sponsor of the 70th anniversary celebration of IBERO’s Architecture program in Mexico City. The forum brought together prominent voices from architecture, urbanism, design, and the built environment, fostering dialogue around innovation, collaboration, and the future of the profession.
Awards & Cohorts
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AIA - co.de.D - Computational Design Award 2026
An NVIDIA
Inception Startup
Rally
SEA Cohort - 2024
SXSW Panel Picker
Voting Link 2026
Michigan Tech Week
2026
Foro 70x70
Mexico City Sept. 2025
Zoey Ramirez,
Tech WhizUofM Ross School of Business MAPS Program Awardee
UofM Taubman Collage of Architecture - Research Partnership
... at Detroit Month
of Design
P.A.D. made its public debut at Eastern Market After Dark during Detroit Month of Design, inviting visitors to experience a different way of thinking about space, ownership, and the future of housing.
​
Photo: Miguel Ángel Uribe Moreno
Instragram: migueluribeam
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In the World
Exploring new ways of living through design,
installations, and experiences.
Two
Crises. One
Opportunity.
The housing crisis and the vacancy crisis are the same problem. P[A]D solves both simultaneously.
Commercial Real
Estate Vacancy:
250B
In commercial property value destruction
1.1B sq ft
Of vacant commercial space
9% / 6,000+
Indoor mall vacancy / Store closures
in H1 2025 (300+ malls closing by 2028)
[P.A.D.] Partikles™
Architecture Built
From the Atom Up.
P.A.D. deconstructs the home into discrete, manufacturable components called Partikles™. Every component walls, kitchens, bathrooms, openings is a Partikle.
Each is engineered using automotive manufacturing processes, materials science, and logistics — then merged with traditional construction finishes. The assembly line delivers precision and speed.
The living experience delivers warmth — wood, stone, ceramic, paintable surfaces, etc. — the finishes that make a space feel like home. And unlike traditional construction, every finish is demountable.
When your life changes, your Partikles move with you to another P.A.D. community — or reconfigure in place.
WALL Partikles ™
​
Panels finished in wood, stone, ceramic, paintable surfaces, etc. Fully demountable.
Wall
Living
Kitchen
Bath
Five-Radius
Living Model
The Process
Design to
Move-In
Weeks, not years. As repeatable as
the manufacturing that powers it.
Design
Configure your unit Partikle by Partikle in immersive 1:1 scale.
Manufacture Locally
Partikles produced near your community using automotive processes and logistics then finished with the materials you'd expect in any home.
Assemble
On-Site
Your configured P[A]D Unit is delivered and assembled by trained crews inside your community.
Live
& Adapt
Move in. Add rooms, resize, relocate. Your Partikles go with you.
First Community
Built in Detroit
For a Reason.
P.A.D. was born from a conversation about what Detroit's automotive infrastructure could build beyond cars. The same production methods and workforce that powered American industry can now power American housing. Detroit has the manufacturing expertise, the commercial vacancy, and the housing need. It's the natural launchpad.
Origin Story
In 2003, Design Think Tank developed the STALA — a custom street lighting fixture for North Corktown using automotive materials. The industrial designer who produced it at QMC was Matthew Perkins.
​
Their conversations about automotive manufacturing for community benefit planted the seed that became P.A.D. After 20+ years, those 53 STALA fixtures still light porches in North Corktown. P[A]D is the next chapter.
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