Industrialised construction: key moments in housing from past to present

• Autores: Annette Davis
• Localización: Arquitectonics : mind, land & society, ISSN 1579-4431, Nº. 34, 2023, págs. 11-34
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • Industrialised Construction (IC), known as Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in the UK, is a broad term encompassing the systematic and controlled production of buildings. Industrialised solutions date back centuries and have been used to meet urgent housing needs; typically following periods of war, economic uncertainty, profound demographic change, and technological advancements. Today, in addition to using IC to provide affordable housing through economies of scale, the climate crisis has put increasing pressure on the construction industry to utilise these innovative solutions more than ever before. IC is increasingly associated with industry 4.0 and merging with ICTs such as BIM, to support an integrated project team and document information for all building life-cycle stages. IC is inherently difficult to define and has expanded in response to technological developments and changes in society. This has contributed to the current lack of a common understanding of the term within the academic literature, amongst industry stakeholders involved in the delivery of housing, and at the governmental level. Advancements in technology - and in particular ICTs - within the last decade mean that IC is developing at an increasing rate. To provide solutions to the current housing challenges and realise the full potential of IC, it is imperative to clarify the meaning of the term. Within this paper the multi-faceted concept of IC will be unpicked through the lens of three defining characteristics: construction methods, strategies, and supporting technologies. The multiple associated meanings will be investigated through key moments in housing throughout history to present day. In parallel, this paper gives an overview on the societal context, to provide the reader with an understanding of the motivation behind the use of IC throughout different time periods. IC is therefore a dynamic term which needs to be continuously updated in a rapidly changing world. Whilst the construction industry has been slow to digitalise, and negative perceptions towards IC persist, there have been recent profound changes in its application to environmentally sustainable and affordable housing. In this area, IC is giving rise to a paradigm shift in the planning of building stages beyond completion and towards circularity.