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PREFABRICATED
STRUCTURE
PANKAJ KUMAR
PANKAJ KUMAR SAGAR
VISHVENDU PANDEY

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21st century design technologies
present us with endless possibilities
to ‘rethink’ how we design and
manufacture and:
• create a shift from mass-
production to mass-customisation;
• embrace parametric modelling for
site specific, value driven responses;
• maximize the interface of these
technologies with manufacturing.
Social, economic and environmental factors suggest an
urgent need to consider new ways to build. These
factors include:
• shortages of skilled trade labour in many
communities;
• need for increased construction quality and lower
costs;
• need to improve construction productivity;
• need for more sustainable, cradle to cradle solutions;
• increased acceptance of quality prefabrication.

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Why prefabricated structure?
•Speed
•Quality
•Safety
•Skills
•Sustainability
•Cost
•Impermanent site

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Relocatables>
Common problems
•Heat gain and loss: difficult to manage in current ‘generic’ products;
•Indoor environment quality: acoustics and light levels are often less than ideal;
•Floors: generally low thermal mass, sometimes undesirable floor movement;
•Floor level: typically circa 600mm above ground for connection crawl space;
•Connections and views: generally limited, both visually and physically;
•Placement: often disconnected from other school buildings, hidden from view;
•Toilets: usually not provided due to distance from soil waste connections;
•Extras: no standard range of ‘extras’ that are also ‘relocatable’;
•Temporary: often look and feel temporary, yet can become permanent;
•Details: joins between modules and other details add to ‘temporary feel’;
•Appearance: utilitarian in appearance, generally designed by manufacturers;
•Transport: design is largely defined by transport logistics rather than end use.

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Future needs
Relocatables of the future will need to respond to:
• a range of climate zones;
• a range of architectural vernacular;
• a wide variety of physical contexts;
• a range of pedagogies and student ages;
• and address the common problems.
How do you:
• develop a design idea that responds to a range of parameters and contexts?
• develop a design idea that is both customisable and economical?
• make it easy to add elements that allow buildings to evolve as needs change? •
deal with the relocation of buildings to new contexts at some point in the future?
Other issues to consider are:
• procurement models
• the role of architects
• the role of manufacturers
• the interface with end users.

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“Prefabricated structure cannot
transform poor design, but prefabricated
structure can be transformed by good
design and considered details.”
Key Lessons
• Importance of a strong, innovative industry body with a research and
development wing;
• Investment in cutting edge manufacturing equipment is a significant
investment that requires a certainty of volume;
• The housing market plays a vital role in creating demand for prefabrication
innovation;
• Lean manufacturing principles and systems thinking are critical to innovation
and development in prefabrication;
• Prefabrication Structure has a vital role to play in the future of a more
sustainable, efficient construction industry;
• Architects have an important role to play in the design and development of
future prefabrication systems;
• Architecture Schools in Europe will increasingly include more teaching of
industrial design thinking to help bridge the gap between architecture and
manufacture.

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“Prefabricated structure
“The Bauzentrum
near Munich is a
display village with
something for every
taste and budget...
wonderful! It
demonstrates a
range of
prefabricated
structure
approaches and
style choices from
different
manufacturers...
excellent quality,
energy performance
and value for
money are common
to all the products.”
DaVinci Haus
Elk
Gruber
Baufritz Rubner
Huf Haus The Energy Centre
Rubner

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Gymnasium-Amsterdam
“This is a temporarily sited school building that is moveable and most importantly of a
permament design and construction quality.”

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Gymnasium -Amsterdam
Key Lessons
• Permanent quality yet moveable;
• Prefabrication fundamental to the design strategy, and vice versa;
• 3D off-site modular approach;
• Cladding and rainscreen as a ‘skin’ that can be changed over time;
• Clever details;
• Life Cycle costing supported argument for increased build quality;
• The role of good design in urban regeneration, even when buildings are temporary.

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Crissy Field -
Key Lessons
• Prefabrication fundamental to the design strategy, and vice versa;
• 2D off-site kit of parts approach;
• The ’configurator’ software allows for a level of controlled customisation;
• Parametric modelling is core to the mass customisation of the product;
• Product can be fabricated local to the site to avert long distance haulage;
• Straightforward assembly, so no specialist assembly contractors.

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McDonalds use prefabricated
structures for their buildings, and set
a record of constructing a building
and opening for business within 13
hours.
CONCLUSION
Because of the design simplifications modern
architecture provides many in the manufactured
housing sector generally feel that modern
architecture designs are better suited for prefab home
construction.

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REFERENCES
Because of the design simplification
www.slideshare.com
(Prefabrication | Future Proofing Schools)
www.Wikipedia.com
www.google.com