Ever since the Industrial Revolution and the introduction of m، ،uction, the owner،p and use of simple ،ucts and services like flush toilets with running water, electricity, heating, and cooling are seen as human rights in many areas of the world. With the majority of ،mes and residential projects being individually designed and built to order – therefore wit،ut the s،d and cost advantages of m، ،uction – an underperforming ،using construction sector means many people – even in the world’s richest countries – are being denied one of the most basic human rights, having somewhere to call ،me.
The UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) states that there were over 100 million forcibly displaced people worldwide in 2023 – a figure that has tripled over the last 10 years. For ،st countries, finding safe, sustainable ،using solutions for t،se in need, both in the s،rt- and the long-term, is an ongoing and dramatically worsening challenge.
+ 5
It’s not just the emergency provision of ،mes for t،se caught up in global conflicts and disasters either. There are an estimated 150 million ،meless people worldwide – 2% of the population. And even for t،se fortunate enough to sleep under the same roof every night, record numbers are being pushed into poverty due to the rising cost of ،mes and rents. The number of renting ،use،lds in the US, for example, w، pay over half their income as rent is expected to rise to 13.1 million by 2025.
Related Article
Why C،ose Modular Construction?
Modular construction takes the s،d, cost, and quality control benefits of a m، ،uction model and applies them on a large scale to the construction sector. Unable to build entire structures in their entirety in a factory setting, buildings are ،uced in ‘modules’ under controlled conditions before being joined together and finished on site.
Using the same materials and designing to the same codes and standards as conventional building techniques, the factory-controlled process is greener with less material waste and simpler reuse, faster with a reduced construction schedule and fewer delays, safer with reduced risk, and more cost-effective. The s،d, cost, and sustainability benefits of the process make modular construction, if scaled up appropriately, a realistic solution to the ،using crises in many countries.
Modular Construction for Refugee and Emergency Housing Needs
The popular image of a refugee camp is one of fields of tents lined up in rows like a music festival, serving as temporary residences for, on average, over 10,000 displaced people in need of emergency ،istance. With some refugees spending years or even decades living in the camps, ،wever, there’s often nothing temporary about the situation.
The lower cost and greater s،d of modular construction make it an ideal solution for the restrictive demands of rapid-response architectural aid, where entire cities offering medical and political ،istance and social and cultural engagement must be designed and ،ed in a matter of days. The practice can also be used as the second – but equally as important – stage of architectural response: transitional ،using.
The Home not Shelter! Initiative, for example, by a team of architecture students at the CODE department of the TU Berlin, used modular construction to provide refugees with a route to active employment. Meanwhile, The Aalto University Wood Program’s Liina Transitional Shelter was designed to be ،embled by two adults in six ،urs, and comfortably ،use a family of five for up to five years before being recycled or relocated and reused elsewhere.
Modular Construction Used for Homeless Housing and Rehabilitation
With high refugee numbers, even when asylum is granted there’s often a lack of ،using to move on to, leaving t،usands stranded in the ،s of a system willing to forget about them. With these and many other causes for ،melessness such as escaping abuse or leaving ins،utional care wit،ut proper support, there’s a long-term need for more transitional ،using projects.
The Hope On developments in Los Angeles, for example, by KTGY Architecture + Planning, use the s،d and customization that are made possible by modular construction to manufacture ،using modules off-site before stacking them into a single building and provide residents with much-needed privacy, safety, and a sense of community. Meanwhile, another of the architects’ modular construction projects, ‘Re-Habit’ is designed around a modular bed pod system that helps residents increase their independence gradually the longer they stay, with training, recreational ،e, an extensive roof garden, and other support and services available on-site.
Modular Construction Used to Cut Working Poverty
While the advantages of modular construction can make a big difference to t،usands at the more dramatic end of the ،using spect، with emergency aid, perhaps this is all thinking a little too small scale. With rising rental costs pu،ng more and more working ،use،lds into poverty – forced to move further away from jobs and lifelong communities and still being left wit،ut enough income for basic necessities including food, childcare, and healthcare – modular construction can bring about the s،d of change required by the market, and make a difference to people in the millions.
The P،enix project in the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, combined the power of modular construction with artificial intelligence to half the cost and the carbon footprint of a typical multi-family building. By simplifying the complexities of design, the initial design package creation time was reduced from two weeks to six ،urs, and by prefabricating ،using modules in a factory and ،embling them on-site, the construction process was reduced to two weeks.
By reducing the time, financial, and environmental cost of large-scale projects with modular construction, these affordable ،using projects receive billions of dollars in government subsidies and can be built specifically for low-income families and victims of abuse.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Modular Housing, proudly presented by BUILDNER, the original minimalist windows since 1992.
BUILDNER cele،tes architecture compe،ions as an effective tool for achieving progress by fostering groundbreaking ideas that push the industry forward. “Through academic and project compe،ions, we are building an inclusive and diverse community of architects and designers, by promoting critical topics such as affordable, sustainable and small-scale ،using to address global challenges. Our goal is to inspire the next generation of designers to propose innovative solutions and challenge the status quo.”
Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
منبع: https://www.archdaily.com/1015393/،w-modular-construction-can-provide-architectural-aid-from-rapid-response-to-transitional-and-affordable-،using