Abstract
Modernity in architecture was substantiated by a revolution in manufacturing. Factory-produced systems for buildings and their components induced an appeal for mass production in architecture. The sometimes confluent and often divergent dream of a factory-produced architecture has had the issue of customization at its core. Prefabrication of architecture is still promoted as an efficient and lean process; however, the repetitive model of continuous production often connotes a lack of variability. This repetitive model of industrialized building is being challenged by new technology and an increased need to respond to social heterogeneity. Today’s theoretical experiments of custom prefabrication address a range of issues from conceptual, to design, to fabrication and construction. These models for flexibility and variability are yet to permeate a generalized lack of innovation within the industry. This paper presents an evolving methodology for developing a collaborative platform toward assembling a customizable architecture from manufactured systems for architecture.
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Notes
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- 2.
For a project description, see Carbone, C. (2014)—Prefabrication experiments (10) Aircraft Industries Research Organisation for Housing—the A.I.R.O.H. house retrieved from http://prefabricate.blogspot.ca
- 3.
Carbone, C. (2014)—Prefabrication experiments (22) Precast concrete (pieces, panels and boxes) in postwar U.S.S.R. retrieved from http://prefabricate.blogspot.ca
- 4.
For a project description, see Carbone, C. (2015)—Prefabrication experiments (62) Sekisui Chemical’s Sekisui Heim M1 retrieved from http://prefabricate.blogspot.ca
- 5.
“since the 1950s architects have retreated from this position, distancing themselves from the factory…factory produced has become a style,” Davies C., The Prefabricated Home, Reaktion Books, 2005, p51
- 6.
“Gropius’ and Wachsmann’s Packaged House system, with its carefully worked out designs of standardized building components, is in the direct line of future development, especially in its concentration upon the production of easily transportable and easily assembled multi-purpose unit parts and not upon the production of complete standardized house types. Nevertheless it had no financial success. Why is this ? …. These difficulties, in the last resort, lie within the present attitude of the house purchaser. No matter how identical in plan and appearance his house may be to all its neighbors in its suburban setting, the man building his own home still likes to believe that he is getting an individual, personal, handmade product.” Giedion, S., Walter Gropius, Work and Team Work, Reinhold, 1954, New York, p76
- 7.
Gropius submitted his “program zur Gründung einer allgemeine Hausbaugellscahaft auf künsterlich einheitlicher grundlage”, m.b.H. (Program for the Founding of a General Housing-Construction Company Following Artistically Uniform Principles) to Rathenau of AEG in April, 1910”; see Herbert G., The dream of the factory-made house: Walter Gropius and Konrad Wachsmann, MIT press, 1984, Cambridge, p33.
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- 9.
“Architecture ou révolution., he touches on the idea of revolution, both technical and political. By the former, he clearly meant the industrial revolution, already achieved through the mass production of automobiles; by the latter, he presumably intended revolutionary socialism fermenting beneath the surface of society and due primarily, in his view, to the fact that the working class was ill-housed.” Frampton K, Le Corbusier, Thames and Hudson, 2001, New York, p31
- 10.
Life magazine April 15, 1946—Wyatt will use all kinds of building to get the job done, p34
- 11.
- 12.
http://www.sekisuiheimm1.com/index_english.html#
- 13.
“Loblolly House”—American Institute of Architects case study retreived from http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab081572.pdf
- 14.
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- 16.
“Loblolly House”—American Institute of Architects case study retrieved from http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab081572.pdf
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- 21.
For a project description, see Carbone, C. (2014)—Prefabrication experiments (40) TRIGON 65 retrieved from http://prefabricate.blogspot.ca
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Carbone, C., Mohamed, B.E. (2017). An Open-Source Model of Collaboration and Customization in Architecture. In: Bellemare, J., Carrier, S., Nielsen, K., Piller, F.T. (eds) Managing Complexity. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29058-4_4
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