Towards more modular housing?
Swisswoodhouse © Bauart / R. Walti
As part of a dossier on the future of housing, Prof. Emmanuel Rey, Head of the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST), was interviewed in the “Votre habitat” supplement to the Arcinfo, Le Nouvelliste, and La Côte newspapers. The article highlights some issues, opportunities, and challenges related to the approaches that are part of the notion of modular housing.
Modular housing has its origins in the first realizations of the modern movement in the early 20th century. This dynamic then continued in the post-war period, in particular, to respond to the urgency of reconstruction, before experiencing some disaffection. The theme is currently experiencing a renewed interest in research and design practice, driven simultaneously by socio-cultural and environmental concerns.
Indeed, this type of concept makes it possible to use low-carbon construction methods and to provide greater adaptability to meet the changing needs of a society in transition. The pandemic could contribute to the wider use of such approaches. The period clearly highlights on the one hand the need for more qualitative conditions to ensure well-being in housing, regardless of its size or location, and on the other hand the fact that it must be possible to use it much more easily in many ways.
In this context, the pioneering Swisswoodhouse project – resulting from a research project and designed by the Bauart office, of which Emmanuel Rey is a partner – demonstrates that this type of approach reconciles constructive efficiency with carbon neutrality, architectural quality, functional flexibility and quality of life of users.