A Century of Modular Innovations: A Journey Through Architectural Evolution
Embracing the Advantages of Modular Building in 2023
August 31, 2023
Volumetric Modular Beats Traditional on Environment
September 20, 2023
1. Torten Estate, Dessau / Walter Gropius and Hannes Meyer / 1926-28
In the aftermath of World War I, with a dire need for affordable worker housing, Walter Gropius set in motion the concept of a "Hausbaufabrik" (home building factory) as early as 1916. The Torten Estate in Dessau, featuring 314 cube-like terraced houses, brought this visionary idea to life. These homes, commissioned by the Dessau municipality, were constructed using prefabricated, cost-effective hollow slag-concrete blocks for loadbearing walls and Gropius' innovative Rapidbalken system for reinforced concrete ceilings. Although these structures were groundbreaking, they revealed some construction defects post-completion, prompting residents to implement their modifications.
2. Dymaxion House / Richard Buckminster Fuller / 1945
Richard Buckminster Fuller's vision for a mass-produced, lightweight aluminum house emerged in the late 1920s, with a prototype of the 100m2 "dwelling machine" realized post-World War II. This visionary home design addressed modern concerns with a 10m-long Plexiglass living-room window for natural light, a circular shape for reduced heat loss, an adaptable floorplan, and features like water recycling, wind turbines, and natural ventilation. Priced to be as affordable as a car, the home was intended to be delivered flat-packed in a metal tube. Although the "dwelling machine" was projected to have significant social impacts, it was never mass-produced due to Fuller's uncompromising stance with manufacturers.
3. Habitat 67, Montreal / Moshe Safdie / 1967
Moshe Safdie's iconic cuboid block of 158 flats pioneered modular high-rise housing. This complex arrangement of concrete boxes was interconnected by high-tension rods, steel cables, and welding, enabling 15 different housing types with gardens and terraces. Six elevator pillars provided vertical access. Remarkably, the concrete modules were prefabricated on-site in a purpose-built factory to achieve cost-efficiency. Despite cost overruns, the Habitat concept endures, influencing Safdie's later work like the 2012 Sky Habitat project in Singapore, which integrates interconnected streets, gardens, and terraces in the sky.
4. Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo / Kisho Kurokawa / 1972
The Nakagin Capsule Tower, comprising 140 self-contained prefabricated concrete capsules, was a groundbreaking example of plug-in architecture. Each capsule, measuring 2.3m x 3.8m x 2.1m, was connected to the shaft using only four high-tension bolts. These capsules arrived on-site as fully equipped living or office spaces, complete with compact bathrooms. In 2007, capsule owners voted to demolish the building due to cramped conditions and asbestos concerns. Kurokawa suggested simply "unplugging" and replacing existing capsules with updated units, but as of 2016, neither proposal has been realized.
5. Furniture House 1, Yamanashi / Shigeru Ban / 1995
Shigeru Ban's Furniture Houses elevated the concept of system-built housing. Furniture House 1 comprised 33 wooden units, prefabricated in different sizes in a furniture factory and joined with a wooden girder. What set it apart was that these units served as both structure and furniture, such as bookshelves or wardrobes, reducing waste and simplifying construction. Each unit, weighing approximately 79.2kg, could be easily handled by a single person, and the house's lightness and integrated furniture enhanced earthquake resistance.
6. Star Apartments, Los Angeles / Michael Maltzan / 2014
