Building, dimensioning and measuring are inseparable concepts. These principles relate philosophies that define the scale and methods for mooring an edifice to its site and harmonize a structure’s heterogeneous components or systems. In classic architecture, ancient numerical rules for measuring progressed from generation to generation. Rules of thumb based on empirical material knowledge, height to width and breadth ratios for columns, arches, and building proportions were established through trial and error or precedents. Industrialization’s specialized production techniques implied and sustained a radical change in architectural composition. With the standardization of design and engineering came the dimensional regulation of the building process expressed by the assembly of dimensionally coordinated manufactured parts. The master builder evolved into the master arranger.
As the diversified mass-production of building components and materials exploded, ordering principles were famously studied by Bemis (USA, 1930s), Neufert (Germany, 1930s), Bergual (Sweden, 1940s). The resulting theme of dimensional coordination was idealized to simplify the harmonic relationships between components, pieces and systems from design to fabrication and to on-site assembly. The ideas set out by these pioneers varied little and all argued for a unit-to-whole factorization and integration. The International Modular Group formed in the 1960s continued this work and preceded the ISO 1791standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee ISO/TC 59, Building Construction.
The first edition (1973) and second edition (1983) determined the basic elements and vocabulary for stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate varied elements into a «singular whole». The definition of dimensional coordination provided in the standard is «a convention on related sizes for the coordinating dimensions of building components and the buildings incorporating them, for their design, manufacture and assembly». This characterization articulates a vision of a building community that openly shares information and component tolerances for joints and assemblies. Since Bemis’ 4-inch-cube rule, dimensional coordination posited the open sharing of measuring grids and production methods to articulate a varied architecture from matchable parts. Today’s digital conceptualization and fabrication are laying fertile groundwork for the virtual assembly of data-informed parts, including sizes and tolerances, setting the stage for a new generation of numeric principles to determine and share a new language for generating buildings.
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Principles of dimensional coordination from Modular Drafting Manual: A Guide to the Application of Modular
Coordination in Design
Kent, S. R. (1961)
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