Centre for Culture and Community - Adaptable Modular Building Prototype

For a complex research project - the prototyping of a Centre for Culture and Community - noa* questions what form modular flexibility takes and how nature can be embedded in the project.






About noa*


ProjectCentre for Culture and Community
Architectsnoa*
Year2021





CeCuCo, Centre for Culture and Community, is a research project with an ambitious task: the design of a cultural centre without a fixed context, capable of transforming itself to adapt to anyone and anywhere. This is noa*'s vision of a multifunctional space, translated into a sustainable model which is versatile for all situations. Among the infinite design possibilities, it was clear from the very beginning which direction to take: to design an architecture that is not indifferent to what happens inside it, a flexible space in which the community can decide, act and makes her moves.

Learning from tangram

The geometry of the project is based on an elementary form, the triangle, repeated modularly in both plan and elevation. In the first case, the triangular module is inscribed in a 3x3 m square, in the second in 3x1.5 m. Working with geometries easy to assemble allows the cultural centre to expand or contract according to the needs of the context. In addition, on an urban planning level, the triangles can combine in many types of shapes, resulting in different space typologies like the slab, the courtyard or the punctiform village.

Using the module in the facade opens up to a variety of configurations, creating a kind of facade metamorphosis. noa* imagines the elevations as a chessboard: some elements can be moved, with certain rules and in certain directions, which it is then up to the people who experience the architecture to control. Doors can be moved, fanned out, turned on their hinges, lowered, raised, ajar... and the same goes for windows. A wide range of possibilities for an intuitive and playful architecture, made up of moves and countermoves, where the game of action and reaction between community and building gives life to the most diverse scenarios.

Players on playground

When defining the functional programme, noa* first investigated the needs of a cultural and community centre as well as the ways to create an architecture as inclusive as possible. How do you design a space that works in the same way for children who meet to play, adults to watch an exhibition, teenagers to listen to a concert? What are the characteristics of a meeting space that is open all year round, that is not for consumption and that represents the public counterbalance to the private domestic dimension?

The natural answer to these questions was the decision to define different spaces capable of satisfying multiple needs, rather than specifying a fixed list of functions. Through 6 types of floor plans, ranging from 8 to 115 m2, all the possible activities of the centre are accommodated. For example, the small module houses the artist's atelier, the newspaper stall, the storeroom, the management office, the staircase, and the changing rooms. In the extra small module, you can find a ticket office. In the medium module, the toilets, a library room, and the open-air bleachers, since not all modules stand for covered spaces. As the floor plans change to the larger size, the possibilities vary, culminating in the large space, with 115 m2 available, designed for theatre and cinema.

Think local, be sustainable

noa* wanted an architecture that is social in its final purpose, and sustainable in all the aspects of the design, including the choice of materials and construction techniques. For this prototype were chosen natural materials and an exposed construction system, easy to assemble and dismantle. In the “standard package”, the facade is made up of an exposed wooden structural system and a wall of clay bricks, alternating with transparent parts, which have also been modulated on the geometry of the triangle. The sustainable approach must be central in the design: therefore, the final choice of materials must be verified with the project environment, to check their actual availability on-site, their thermal conductivity in relation to the climatic conditions, the energy consumption in their processing and the presence of the necessary know-how skills. Similarly, a careful design of the installations can have a positive impact on the ecological footprint of the building. The cultural centre includes the use of green roofs and pergolas, photovoltaic systems, rainwater collecting systems, cross-ventilation systems as well as ponds and wooded areas for a temperate microclimate.

With this project, noa* envisages a flexible architecture, capable of reacting to changes in context and at the same time of working on different scales, from the macro-project to the street furniture. This cultural centre could be located on a beach on a volcanic island, in the Scandinavian forests, on an abandoned lot in Detroit or on the roofs of socialist housing in Berlin. It is an architecture able to mould itself to the morphological and climatic requirements of the context while maintaining intact the concept of sociality and interaction between the building and those who live in it.

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VoloPort Concept - Modular eVTOL Vertiport - Departure and Arrival Facility for Air Taxis and Drones








About Graft


ProjectVoloPort
ArchitectsGraft
Project partnersGeorg Schmidthals, Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz, Thomas Willemeit
Project leadSebastian Massmann
Design leadMarta Piaseczynska
Project teamJulia Korpacka, Tatiana Lebedeva
Year2021: Commission for VoloPort together with Arup and Bayards Aluminium Constructies
2019: First prototype built in Singapore by GRAFT Brandlab
2018: Competition, 1st prize, together with GRAFT Brandlab and Arup


Description by designers

The German eVTOL design company Volocopter is a pioneer of Urban Air Mobility and develops fully electric vertical take-off aircraft as a mobility solution for use in urban areas. As a hub for the Volocopter aircraft, the VoloPort vertiport was devised by GRAFT in collaboration with Volocopter, Arup and Bayards Aluminium Constructies.

The VoloPort is part of the Volocopter modular urban air mobility infrastructure network and acts as a gateway within the public realm. Suited to the constraints of densely populated areas, its compact, modular and expandable design can be employed in a variety of inner-city locations – either on the ground, on the roof of a high-rise building or on a floating, water-based platform.

Stack Modular Housing - Prefab Affordable Housing, Manhattan, New York







Floor plans / Drawings
Construction Process
Location and contact info
About GLUCK+


ProjectThe Stack Modular Housing
ArchitectsGLUCK+
Design TeamShannon Bambenek, Jacob Chartoff, Marc Gee, Peter L. Gluck, Thomas Gluck, Charlie Kaplan, James Macgillivray, Brian Novello, Silan Yip
Area37,710 square feet
Structural EngineersSilman (Foundations), The Harman Group (Modular)
Geotechnical EngineersPillori Associates
Mechanical EngineerRodkin Cardinale Consulting Engineers
Prefabrication ConsultantDeluxe Building Systems Inc.
LocationManhattan, New York, USA
PhotographyAmy Barkow
Year2014





Utilizing an off-site construction method and an innovative design strategy, The Stack modular housing has managed to streamline the entire development process and create a high-quality product with a small carbon footprint, pioneering the future of construction in New York City.

Individual modules are constructed and fully finished in a factory setting, while the eventual building site is simultaneously prepped for their arrival. Expending far fewer raw materials than traditional construction methods, the modules are fabricated in a highly controlled environment, allowing for quality assurance and precise engineering.

Once transported and on-site, the modules are literally stacked—the inspiration behind the building's name—and seamlessly integrated into a singular structure, an aesthetically pleasing building that enhances both the streetscape and the pedestrian experience. In the final stage, an expressive façade is fixed to the modular framework, making a strong visual statement to passersby that reflects the building's unique means to existence.

The modular construction method rapidly accelerates the production schedule, completing buildings in virtually half the time of the traditional on-site process, while also opening a new realm of opportunity for urban development. With its distinctive architecture and luxurious yet accessible lifestyle offering, The Stack modular housing serves as a proud example of the possibilities enabled by modular construction, and is a welcome addition to the Inwood community.

The Monetary and Non-Monetary Impacts of Prefabrication on Construction: The Effects of Product Modularity

Krishna Chauhan1, Antti Peltokorpi1, Rita Lavikka2 and Olli Seppänen1

1Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland

 2VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, 02044 Espoo, Finland

1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Background
3. Method
4. Analysis and Results
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions


Abstract


Prefabrication is rapidly increasing in construction, and previous research has identified various impacts of prefabrication on projects. Modular product architecture is a great enabler for prefabrication; however, practitioners would benefit from more explicit knowledge on the impacts of prefabricated product types with different levels of product modularity. This study investigates the connection between the modularity level and the monetary and non-monetary impacts of prefabricated products. First, the literature on prefabrication and modularity is used to form three propositions which are related to product modularity and the benefits of prefabrication. The level of modularity is considered with two dimensions: the proportion of modules and the module description detail. Second, four prefabricated products are analyzed to test the propositions. The analysis revealed that (1) the level of modularity adopted in the product is directly proportional to the benefits. More specifically, (2) a higher proportion of modules in a project product contributes to higher cost-benefits. On the other hand, (3) prefabricated products with highly detailed module descriptions seem to lead to higher non-monetary benefits, such as better ergonomics and work satisfaction. The study reveals new empirical evidence on the relationship between product modularity and the benefits of prefabricated products. Cost-benefit analysis revealed that even though some prefabricated products could have higher direct costs, the total cost can still be lower than conventional construction when also considering the indirect benefits. Practitioners can utilize the findings when selecting modular and prefabricated products that best fulfil their project objectives.

First LEED Silver Certified Prefab Modular Home in Colorado, Denver







Floor plans
Manufacturing in factory
On-site Assembly
About Tomecek Studio

Awards
LEED Certified, LEED-Home Pilot Program
2008 Builder Magazine Grand Award
AIA Colorado Citation Award
AIA Colorado North Chapter Merit Award
AIA Colorado YAAG Built Architecture Award



Project32nd Modular
ArchitectsTomecek Studio
Area2,750 square feet
Manufacturing time (80% completed in factory)3 weeks
Assembly time4,5 hours
Project completion time4,5 month
LocationDenver, Colorado
Year2007





When Brad Tomecek and his family outgrew their Denver loft and decided to swap it for a single-family home, the architect took the opportunity to experiment with an alternative building technique.

He purchased a narrow 25-foot-by-125-foot infill lot within walking distance to downtown, and, along with his colleagues at Studio H:T, designed a 2,750-square-foot modular house to be built in a factory. “It was an experiment to bring modern green design through the prefab process,” says Tomacek. “It saves time and reduces material waste to just 5 percent.”

The first LEED Silver–certified modular house in the state, it has a poured-in-place foundation with two boxes stacked above. “Because the site borders a commercial area, the zoning let us go a little higher than usual,” Tomacek explains. “That allowed for three stories including a basement.” Sliding the top box back a few feet created an upper southern deck and a covered rear entry area.

The project took just four-and-a-half months from start to finish. “We went from a foundation to a full frame structure in about five hours,” says Tomecek. “It was a good experience, and now we have another tool in our toolbox.”

Prefab Inflatable Home + 3D Printed Shell by Hassell, Mars






Schemes
Video
About Hassell
About Eckersley O’Callaghan


DesignHassell
ClientNASA
Design TeamXavier De Kestelier, Jonathan Irawan, Shawn Wu, Xuanzhi Huang, Nikolaos Argyros, David Brown
Structural EngineeringEckersley O’Callaghan
LocationMars
Project Year2018




Hassell sets out to design the perfect habitat (prefab inflatable home under 3D printed shell ) for space explorers on the red planet as part of NASA’s international 3D Printed Habitat Challenge.

Hassell team, in collaboration with structural engineers Eckersley O’Callaghan (EOC), was shortlisted to design the world’s first human home on Mars. In Hassell design, an external shell made from local Martian regolith would be built in advance by autonomous robots before exploration teams arrived to construct the interior – a series of prefab inflatable ​‘pods’ containing everything for work and life on Mars.

Hassell aim was to bring a more human element to space design, typically all about maximum efficiency and performance. Hassell habitat - prefab inflatable home and 3D printed shell goes far beyond just ticking the boxes for safety and survival. It’s a home away from home where astronauts can carry out the most important work in the history of space exploration.

Hassell and EOC were shortlisted as a top 10 entry in the challenge.

Another way of living: The Prefabrication and modularity toward circularity in the architecture

Marielle Ferreira Silva 1

1 Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg

marielle.silva@uni.lu

1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. Modular and Prefabricated Architecture
4. Slab design process and Discussions
5. Conclusion


Abstract.


The world requires housing capable of addressing the ecological challenge and social changes. Various architecture projects have used alternatives to solve these problems, like housing complexes to increase density, fast and low-cost constructions with prefabricated and modular methods and materials. The concrete will always be rooted in the culture of architecture, even the industry of construction can work with other materials and whose manufacture produces a considerable amount of CO2. Taking into account the different construction cycles and the evolution of uses and users, a change in architectural culture is required. This paper aims to shows that it is possible to achieve the concept of circularity in the built environment through the architectural design process. The research by design methodology was used to develop the recyclable typology named Slab focused on residential prefabrication methods, which will facilitate their disassembly and recycling. As a result, the design process and the models' evolution of the Slab prototypes are presented in this paper. Prioritizing prefabrication and the modularity within the architectural design process has advantages, such highly effective reduce footprint areas, large-scale infrastructure for flexible use, and individual housing units with communal activities, besides, assure the building conditions for future disassembly and recycle.

$50.000 Elon Musk’s Small Prefab Home, Boca Chica, Texas









Floor Plan
About Boxabl


What do Elon Musk and prefab homes have in common? For now at least, a prefab house called Boxabl is Musk’s abode, which, rumor has it, he lives in near SpaceX ground zero in Boca Chica, Texas after selling off nearly all of his real estate holdings.

The 20x20 small prefab home might be commonly known as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or perhaps a guest house, but in the Boxabl world, it’s referred to as Casita. Unlike other small prefab houses, Boxabls have a unique, flat-pack design that allows them to break down to 8.5 feet in width and be delivered onsite via truck, train, air or ship.

The main materials in the prefab home are steel, concrete and EPS foam, specifically chosen for their durability. They don’t degrade like other building materials, so the structures are built to last a lifetime. Not only are Boxabls rated for hurricane-strength winds, but because there isn’t any wood or sheetrock that could be damaged by water, the prefab homes won’t grow mold or deteriorate due to moisture from floods.

In addition, the company said, “Nothing is fireproof. But Boxabl was engineered with fire resistance in mind. The interior and exterior of the structure is clad with non-combustible materials. We think this means flying embers that spread forest fires won’t ignite your Boxabl.”




There are several costs involved in getting a Boxabl set up, including the Casita itself, starting around $50,000. From there, you’ll need land, a foundation and utilities to plug into. You’ll also pay a delivery fee, but the company can hook you up with certified builders to unfold the Boxable for you in your desired location, which takes less than a day. However, the building will save you money in the long run, because it is extremely energy-efficient. Each tiny home relies on a small air conditioning system as needed and has high R value insulation, a tight building envelope and limited thermal bridging to keep the space fairly temperature controlled.

The small prefab home comes wired and plumbed, so it’s ready to accept solar power or any other energy source the buyer chooses. The prefabricated design, complete with nearly everything you need to open the door and move in (including a full-size refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and washer/dryer) is also seen as an option for temporary shelters that can be preloaded with supplies and delivered quickly for emergency response. Currently, there are no customization options, and the company is only taking orders while it completes a manufacturing plant.

You can order small prefab home like that on the Boxable website here

Prefab Modular Houses by A-cero, Spain








Prefabricated Material for Modular House






Prefabricated Material for Modular House

https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/662/4/042020

C Dharmawan1, M Alviano2*

1 Fakultas Desain, Universitas Komputer Indonesia,Indonesia
2 Fakultas Teknik dan Ilmu Komputer, Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Indonesia

* Email: muhammadalviano@mahasiswa.unikom.ac.id

Abstract. 

This research identifies prefabricated materials which aim to save time and cost of
making a modular house. The purpose of this study is to provide the best solution for the entire
Indonesian population especially to the government and entrepreneurs who have a project
about housing that there is an appropriate solution to reduce development costs, reduce
development time and reduce the inefficiency of a typical residential house which is certainly
more expensive than modular. Modular housing has a unique system and is certainly fast in the
development process, usually a technology that is paid at a high price, but innovation is not
always expensive. There are various types of modular home systems, but not all systems are
compatible or compatible with climate conditions in Indonesia, but most modular systems are
widely used in Indonesia. This research used descriptive analysis methods to explain the
people growth in Indonesia, that increasingly very fast, so they need more house very fast too,
and the next stage is to explain the prefabrication of materials that are appropriate to the
climate in Indonesia. Besides, this study aims to obtain information on the types of prefabricated
materials that can be used in the manufacture of modular houses and specifications
from pre-fabricated. The results of this study explain that there is a prefabricated material
module system in the form of single and double modules which are used in making modular
houses, depending on the size and type of house. Therefore, this research is useful for architect
and developer in choosing modular materials.