Modularity relates to the basic definition of systems theory; distinct elements are structured and coordinated in a hierarchal manner to achieve a coherent whole known as a system. A building is made up of multiple systems: structure, envelope, circulation, etc. The dimensional normalization of systems and their composing parts through shared classifications, details, standards and assembly methods makes it possible to imagine diverse and scalable products, buildings or objects based on common systemic rules. Modular platforms, often categorized as industrialized building systems often point to proprietary assemblies, however open modular strategies can be designed to creatively use off the shelf components and conventional building methods. An open-source use of made-to-stock pieces outlines a world of possibilities, making a building or a series of buildings entirely interoperable from core elements. Scaling this type of open methodology even further, the city could be envisioned as a pattern of repeatable but customizable sub-systems.
A 23 dwelling unit development, in Trignac, France, designed by Pritzker prizewinning architects Lacaton and Vassal in 2010 elegantly uses basic building elements to reconstruct a derelict industrial sector into a burgeoning dynamic neighbourhood for families. An entire urban field was planned within a system of low-cost, made-to-stock elements: steel profiles, cast-in-place bearing elements and concrete hollow-core slabs. The structural system, a straightforward platform frame produces 2 - 4 story buildings that can be expanded horizontally to form larger edifices contingent only to the fire restrictions imposed by their floor areas and exposed steel parts. Devoid of bearing walls, the stacked concrete slabs shape adaptable and flexible floor plates. The buildings are capped with lightweight greenhouses, also built with standard elements. Used to capture and harvest solar gains and help stabilize interior temperatures in different climate conditions, the greenhouses act as an insulating rooftop microclimate. A lightweight curtain wall of polycarbonate panels, hung from the platforms’ perimeter, makes the façades or skins as agile as the floor plans. Elevations can change without affecting structural integrity. This type of made-to-stock, architect driven bricolage (tinkering), is inspired by an industrial vernacular common to modernist architectural exploration looking to reduce costs and develop a type of modular repeatability leveraged for an flexible and open building approach.
A field of modular components
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