URBAN MODULAR PILOT PROJECTS The urban modular industry has witnessed increased interest in recent years as a construction typology for the multi-unit sector in spite of much infamy for modular construction given the stalling of the B2 Atlantic Yards project (461 Dean Street) in New York. Innovation in modular construction as a system for the multi-unit typology has manifested through a combination of improvement in construction systems, knowledge refinement through implementation experience and greater precision. The successful completion of certain “pilot” projects since 2010 has redefined modular as a system for dense urban sites. This section looks at four specific urban multiunit projects towards understanding the systemic nature of modular construction and the parameters which are enabling modular construction to be accepted for multiunit typology. The research methodology incorporates four “pilot” projects as case studies towards exploring more innovative construction solutions in the respective dense urban contexts. These four project are the Star Apartments, the Stack, Nehemiah Spring Creek Housing, and My Micro NY. The variance of the solutions and their specific settings allow for a comprehensive analysis through documentation of the processes that define these projects. The projects have been documented through online resources, articles and material published by architects, developers and manufacturers. This material has often included construction videos and construction images documented through the construction life of these projects. Thus, both the factory process and the on-site construction process have been documented through images. 68
Sources: Multifamily Market on the Rise, Modular Building Institute
STAR APARTMENTS Los Angeles, CA - 2013 Michael Maltzan Architecture
Type V