Modular homes are houses either partially or fully constructed in a factory. This process involves creating a series of three-dimensional 'modules' delivered to a site in a predetermined spatial pattern and assembled into a complete product. These homes have become popular solutions to housing crises as they can be produced 50% faster and emit half as much pollution.
However, the locality of the materials used is a significant factor that gives homes their character. It conveys a sense of place, culture, construction history, and local craftsmanship. This raises questions about its role in modular housing: Can local materials be used in the factory production of homes? Can they be combined with a modular framework and temporary connections? What are the limitations of building modular homes in the local contexts of the Global South?
Modular structures are commonly created using a variety of construction materials, including cold-formed steel framing, wood framing, concrete, hot-rolled steel, or a mix of these elements. The modular construction process uses an inside-out approach—frames are built as fitted boxes and flat planes, then finished from the inside out. This is because these materials are better suited for offsite prefabrication, transportation, and deconstruction, and are durable and non-contextual, making them suitable for use in any city.
Materials like Earth, laterite, stone, bamboo, and raffia present more challenges to the globalization of prefabrication construction. They are more commonly found locally and are used with unique local crafts to create a unique architectural character. Only a few modular construction companies and architectural designers have explored how the modular process can help create housing with local materials within their contexts.
In the UK, where approximately 15,000 modular houses are built annually, industry leader Connect Modular investigated the use of local materials from the Isle of Mull in the production of prefabricated houses for the rural community. This project entailed the construction of four modular homes across two sites: two 2-bedroom and two 3-bedroom houses, all manufactured offsite. By utilizing locally sourced wooden materials, the houses mirrored local architectural styles. They were traditional cottage-sized homes clad in vertical larch native to the area, topped with corrugated metal roofs and colored front doors. This careful consideration of local architectural character and materials fostered a sense of place where residents enjoyed participating as the modules were craned into their positions onsite.
These modular homes also seamlessly complement the serene, picturesque setting of rural landscapes, rolling hills, and sea views. Furthermore, taking the native larch into controlled factory conditions, it improved environmental performance and quality control of the material. This knowledge about the material was subsequently shared with the community's residents for future reference.
In Kollam, India, the firm NO Architects Designers and Social Artists is tackling housing solutions for sites where accessibility is a concern. They have innovated a Workers Pavilion that utilizes locally available materials that can be transported by truck or boat in emergency situations. Their focus was on using vernacular materials like bamboo, wood, grass, and mud with a modular structural system and bolted connections. This pilot structure is unique; it uses friction piles, eliminating the need for concrete, and reducing time, cost, and carbon footprint.
Furthermore, the living spaces and sleeping areas were divided with intricate panels made of bamboo and grass, used for walls, doors, flooring, and fenestrations. NO Architects believe this system bridges the gap between modular housing production and local contexts. It creates relatable material systems that can be repaired or mended by the local community. The architectural expression of this pilot structure will vary based on its geographical location and local craft techniques. However, its structural system can be redeployed at another site, with minimal cost and time implications.
Local materials can also be utilized in the construction of modular homes by elevating traditional methods and collaborating with the local community. This approach was explored by Mexican architecture firm, Comunal Taller de Arquitectura. They created prefabricated housing systems for the rural community in Ciudad De Cuetzalan, Mexico, starting with workshops on technical training and participatory design. They focused on traditional materials like bamboo, straw, bajareque, palm, carrizo, and wood, all of which were previously seen as precarious in self-construction practices.
The workshops emphasized a construction system limited to three elements (two trusses and a panel with variations). These elements are prefabricated and assembled once the structural frames are completed, significantly reducing on-site construction time. The assembly process takes approximately one week, minimizing labor costs for budget-conscious projects. This collaborative process bridged the gap between traditional lattice crafts using palm, straw, and bamboo, and the structural panels introduced by Comunal Taller de Arquitectura. The result was a modular home that maintained its prefabricated properties while reflecting the customs and traditions of the Nahuatl people through spatial and material design.
All the examples above highlight the significant potential of using locally available and contextual materials in the production of modular homes. These examples underscore the ability of modular homes to maintain their effective housing delivery while preserving the architectural character of a place. They demonstrate how light and ephemeral local materials like wood, bamboo, raffia, and straw can be utilized in modular structural systems with innovative coupling connections.
Additionally, these examples show how communal collaboration can infuse local craft into the prefabrication process to create unique architectural homes. However, the ephemeral nature of the materials used also illuminates the current limitations of modular fabrications in responding to sturdy, in-situ materials such as earth, laterite, and stone. These materials are crucial to the craft of architecture in most parts of Africa and the global south. Therefore, further studies are needed to explore how these sturdy materials can be integrated into modular home construction.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Modular Housing, proudly presented by BUILDNER.
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