How can industrialization and environmental responsibility go hand in hand? What siting, technological, or constructive strategies can be developed without harming the surrounding landscape? The application of modular design in architecture has been in practice for years, with a history involving the pursuit of standardization and modular coordination among materials, products, and more. Over time, it has been complemented by various environmental, sustainable, ecological, and economic factors to achieve the adaptability and functionality desired by its inhabitants.
The module in architecture is capable of taking on infinite roles, intervening from the process of material selection to the application of technologies related to circularity, efficient water or electricity use, cooling, and climate control systems tailored to the region, among others. Additionally, it can serve other functions such as in the Casa Acqua in Brazil, where the organizational arrangement in modules allows for providing privacy to different areas of the house and reflecting both the architecture and its surrounding environment by being surrounded by water mirrors.
The Module as an Actor in Respecting the Natural Conditions of the Environment
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Modular Housing in Latin America: Assembly, Joinery, and Transportation Methods in ConstructionThe implantation of a project plays a fundamental role in modular architecture, with the connection between the module and the site being one of the main challenges to solve. SET Ideas, an architecture studio based in Córdoba, Argentina, aims to industrialize architecture and everything related to it, approaching each design from a preconceived base and personalizing it according to the preferences of their clients. Materials, finishes, furniture, openings, technical details, aesthetic resolutions, and functionalities are standardized similarly to industrial processes but applied within architecture.
When designing their Habitable Modules, they argue that placement cannot be standardized and requires a unique design for each site, whether suspended, supported, cantilevered, or in direct contact with the ground. The Tiny Modules represent another example where, through this same methodology, processes are streamlined, and results are achieved more efficiently.
Combining modernity and respect for the environment, the factory modular construction of Trica House in Uruguay is conceived through modules designed to optimize space and functionality. Maintaining a connection with the exterior and minimizing modifications to the terrain's topography and flora, manufacturing within a controlled environment ensured an efficient and high-quality process with modules produced under optimal conditions, eliminating the artisanal factor and ensuring constant quality control. Thus, small interventions were carried out on the terrain in less than a week, reducing construction times.
On the other hand, Colectivo Creativo Arquitectos also focuses on the efficiency of construction processes, using modulation and materials in conjunction with the site's surroundings, aiming to transform places into inhabitable landscapes. Faced with a landscape of high natural value like that of Mon Paradis House in Colombia, they respect the original conditions, efficiency, and reversibility by inserting a livable module that respectfully dominates the natural surroundings and incorporates the sensation of the landscape on the surface. The project synthesizes the benefits of industrialization such as precision, speed, fewer unforeseen events, and preservation of materials, elements, and components, thus being more environmentally responsible.
The Module as a Driver for Renewable Energy Technologies
Whether on the slope of a mountain, in a forest, by the edge of a lagoon, or river, there are multiple paths to achieve minimal impact on the landscape. Adapting to different climates and needs, the "Labt-20" Modular Home by Estudio Borrachia + GB Arquitectos in Argentina represents a system of serial execution and workshop fabrication, where the bases are installed in a few hours and can be removed in the same time frame, while the lifting hooks are conceived as part of the architecture, linked to the building in case of needing to move it again.
In these modules' design, the analysis of the ecosystem to be intervened and its adaptation to the site conditions are transferred to the manufacturing logic. Basic passive operating criteria such as cross ventilation, the "chimney" effect, or green roofs are thus incorporated according to the seasons and their interaction with the climate. The modules are complemented with photovoltaic panels, geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar water heaters, and other devices that optimize consumption and allow, in extreme conditions, complete disconnection from infrastructure networks.
Following the modulation for project optimization, the Perrote Mat 3x3x3 Pavilion presents a linear inhabitable structure that incorporates sustainable considerations in selecting durable and recyclable materials and integrating them with the surrounding natural environment. Measures were implemented to reduce environmental impact, promoting energy efficiency and responsible coexistence with the context.
The Module as a Material Optimizer in the Construction Process
While several architects have developed their projects aiming to integrate housing construction and industry effectively, there is still a long way to go where material optimization, the use of machinery and skilled labor, and the manufacturing, mounting, or assembly processes of construction elements reach to form a whole that understands the characteristics of each particular site and connects with the surrounding nature.
On a path towards integrating architecture and climate, Ghibli House in Brazil adopts a modular metal construction system using materials sized according to the module dimensions, resulting in faster construction with minimal material waste. Another particular case is the Prat-Valdés House in Chile, where projecting modules of 3.20 meters optimize the use of wood, which comes in that factory length.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Modular Housing, proudly presented by BUILDNER.
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