Modular housing and methods of reducing the cost of construction processes

I’m currently reading Walter Gropius’s book The Circle of Total Architecture, which was written almost a hundred years ago.
A little bit about the author. Walter Gropius is one of the founders of the German Bauhaus school of architecture, which revolutionised design, industrial design, artistic creativity, etc. The avant-garde artists completely revolutionised people’s ideas of what residential and public buildings, household items, and other objects should look like. This movement marked the end of an era of styles, including Baroque, Classicism, Art Nouveau, and others, each offering their own vision of architecture and art.
Walter Gropius, a prominent figure of the avant-garde movement, also authored several books. Once again, I am convinced that individuals who revolutionised architecture, science, art, and social life were visionaries who saw beyond their own time.

At least once in our lives, we all face an important problem: buying a home. This raises a question that concerns almost everyone: why are apartments and houses so expensive? Walter Gropius studied this question many years ago. The author’s conclusions are current as they propose the use of individual blocks that are moisture-resistant and have inherent insulation properties. They also suggest the use of synthetic wood and other existing materials that have been proven successful.

Walter Gropius’ main idea for reducing the cost of housing is to produce it in workshops, similar to cars, making it more affordable for many people. Gropius’ solution is to use a more efficient and cost-effective method of production. This approach is based on the fact that products manufactured in workshops with a well-established technological process are always much cheaper than those made by hand. However, modern housing construction is mostly manual work and a long technological process, which makes it expensive. Housing construction is a well-known process.   

However, the use of individual, factory-made capsules could significantly increase the speed of construction. In the 1960s, the renowned Japanese architect Kise Kurokawa designed a residential building composed of such capsules, which were produced at a factory and attached to the building’s frame like shelves. These capsules were equipped with all necessary amenities, including a transforming workroom, a toilet with a shower, and a built-in kitchen. Of course, these capsules cannot be considered full-fledged dwellings due to their small size. However, they do provide a roof over your head that is warm and comfortable.

In the circumstances where many people have been left homeless due to russia’s military aggression, the option of using modern
and environmentally friendly houses made of straw and hemp blocks should be considered. Ukraine is now assembling these panels using modern technology develo

ped by Ukrainians. Fire-resistant, durable, warm, and non-toxic, these materials are also rodent-resistant! 🙂

Let’s collaborate on designing future housing. Join the discussion and share your ideas.
Attached are photo illustrations.