Desgin Recommendations
Construction | APPROACH
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We suggest a similarly dramatic approach to prefabricated construction that uses a skeletal structural frame system with a series of modular infill panels for ALL surfaces, including all ceilings and floors. This system will separate volume from structure and create a strong, supportive internal framework that is capable of supporting continuous change. Modularity allows for much faster retrofits and fine-tuning of building performance. Also, this very same interchangeability can be offered to potential tenants as a unique benefit of living in this new kind of modular community. Lowincome tenants, who must often deal with higher levels of transience, can benefit from this new spatial flexibility as well. As their financial situations improve, they may one day have the option of expanding their units in place, rather than remaining crammed in place or being forced to relocate to a
larger home.The diagram below completes the progression from all-slab construction by demonstrating the ways in which a skeletal system can support continuous replacements of all surface panels, including all floors and ceilings. Finally, on the opposite page, are a few options that demonstrate the wide range of flexibility that can be designed into any housing development that uses this modular-component prefabricated approach. Building owners and tenants alike can enjoy the flexibility of easy upgrades and enhancements thanks to the simple use of a complete skeletal frame. Much like the structure of a coral reef, this skeletal framework is designed to support the continuously changing shapes, sizes, and tastes of a community that is constantly growing and expanding.