The literature
examining the relationship between architecture, industrialisation and
prefabrication seldom includes inquiry into the business models that uphold
manufactured architecture. Prefabrication is either discussed through a
romantic architectural point of view or from the other end of the spectrum as a
business of mass production. The latter is the predominant business model, which
hasn't changed since military technology and government underwrote the industry's
development. In Canada for example, a recent revealed that approximately ninety
percent of companies implement a modular or panelized production model. A wide-ranging
assessment: early industrial Fordisms
continue to sustain the basic business model.
In matters of
design, the pattern book still dominates product variety, however the evolution
from mass production to lean construction and to today’s digitally controlled
fabrication has generated a new customized and customizable form of prefabrication.
The offsite construction industry can seamlessly link production and delivery with
on-site quality control and end of service-life disassembly. The design/prefabrication shop, is a burgeoning
model of customized kit building based on an open exchange of information
between client, designer and manufacturer through an integrated building model.
Relating kit building, dry construction methods, with information technology, each
building is thoroughly and virtually designed before its just-in-time production.
This revolution points off-site construction toward a made-to-order business
model rather than the production based model that we are used to.
Architects and
researchers such as Kieran and Timberlake embody this type of integrated design
to manufacturing process. This kit culture seems to be quite prevalent in
Australia. Australia has a rich prefab heritage. The iron houses of the Australian
gold rush, postwar timber houses and perhaps most notably Glenn Murcutt's work
in the establishing the relationship between customized design and quality
architectural production laid the ground work for a strong prefab kit building culture.
ARKit (www.arkit.com.au) is an Australian architectural design / manufacturing
practise which exemplifies this new prefab business model. Articulated to
quality design, craftsmanship and efficiency, Arkit argues for a customized kit
of parts construction process, which allows for a totally personalized architecture
seamlessly controlled on and off-site. A long way from the repetitive
connotation, ARKit and this customized prefab reforms the usual process-based
business model promoted by enterprise since the late 19th century.
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| Form workshop to site - Arkit embodies a new personalized prefab |
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