From Prototype to Possibility: How Boxkill is Rethinking Housing in Sisters

Housing affordability has become one of the defining challenges facing communities across Oregon. In Sisters, one local company believes one answer may lie in manufacturing.

Founded by Paul Rawlins and Andrew Schar, Boxkill is developing compact modular homes built from precision-engineered metal components. The company's approach is straightforward: simplify the building process, reduce waste and create high-quality homes that cost less to build.

The idea is gaining traction. Recently Boxkill completed construction of its first prototype, a 230-square-foot home that gives visitors a glimpse of what that vision could look like in practice. Compact, efficient and designed to meet residential building standards for both standalone residential use and accessory dwelling units, the prototype marks a major step forward for a company that only a few years ago existed mostly on paper.

The company's roots are firmly planted in Sisters. Rawlins previously worked in business development at Laird Superfood, one of the community's most recognized business stories. Today, Boxkill is writing a new chapter from the former Laird facility, transforming a space once associated with a fast-growing food brand into a center for housing innovation. This week they announced they had leased a second 8,000 square foot building as they continue to expand production.

As Boxkill moved from concept to prototype, EDCO helped connect the founders with potential investors and facilitated introductions throughout the regional business community. The organization also worked alongside City of Sisters staff and elected officials as conversations about tiny homes and housing innovation began to gain momentum. Those conversations have only expanded as the prototype has taken shape.

Over the past year, local leaders, industry professionals and economic development partners have toured the Boxkill facility to see the home firsthand and learn more about the manufacturing process behind it. Discussions have ranged from fundraising and certification pathways to the broader question of how factory-built housing could help address housing shortages across the region.

One of the company's next milestones is International Code Council (ICC) certification, an important step that would streamline the permitting process and make it easier for communities and homeowners to adopt the product.

In July, visitors got an up-close look at that progress during EDCO's Made in Sisters Tour. Boxkill opened its doors to showcase both the completed prototype and the technology behind it, offering a firsthand look at how advanced manufacturing is being applied to one of the region's most pressing needs.

For Boxkill, the prototype is more than a finished home. It is proof that a different approach to housing is possible. And for Sisters, it is another example of local entrepreneurs looking at a difficult problem and deciding to build a solution.

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