WHOLE AS PART MASS-CUSTOMIZATION HOUSING THROUGH standard modules When designing residential buildings, the current method is to provide high-quality prototypes that can satisfy most, let’s say 80%, demands of people’s daily need. It used to work well, however, with the explosive development in every aspects of our society, people are now not satisfied with the standard ‘80% satisfied’ design. Unfortunately, it is impossible for architects to do customized design for everyone. In this case, Mass-Customization in housing design must be realized in an affordable way, which is customized combination of standard parts. To realize that, we have to create a logic loop dealing with the relationship between part and whole so as to enable the automation in the design.
Nakagin Capsule tower is a great example of 'part to whole' design methodology. However, the identical parts and linear 'part to whole' relationship caused its failure in achieving its design goal. Therefore, 'whole as part' needs to be introduced to solve this issue since it completes the 'part-to-whole-as-part' loop.
PART
WHOLE PART
WHOLE PART
WHOLE PART
LittleBits Units
Another reference of this research is LittleBits. The features of the units and its standard joints enable the maximum possibilities of assembly and the customization of the final results
MODULE LIBRARY
Learned from the precedents, the standard modules is designed to have the capability to be assembled in different ways. Therefore, the range of the variations will increase exponentially after every iteration.
AUTOMATION(FROM MODULE TO ROOM) Letter
Letter to Word
Word
Word
Word to Sentence
Sentence
Sentence
Sentece to Paragraph
Paragraph
A more straightforward way is to consider this as a language. There is only very limited number of variations in 'letter' level. However, letters can be assembled to so many different words even in lots of constrains. Moreover, words can combine into sentences which can transfer much larger information.
AUTOMATION(FROM MODULE TO ROOM)
Similarily, ever ytime the parts to be assembled to the whole, more information can be loaded and transferred without the one-by-one input from designers.
COSTOMISATION
AUTOMATION
CUSTOMIZATION
BEDROOM - 1 BATHROOM - 1
BATHROOM -2 -1 LIVINGROOM
LIVINGROOM - 2
LE
COSTOMISATION
COSTOMISATION
AUTOMATION KITCHEN - 1
BATHROOM - 1
BATHROOM BEDROOM - 1- 2
BEDROOM - 2
LEVEL - 1
COSTOMISATION
AUTOMATION BATHROOM - 1
BEDROOM -1 BATHROOM -1
BEDROOM KITCHEN - 1- 2 BATHROOM -2
BATHROOM -2 -1 LIVINGROOM CAPSULE - 2
CAPSULE KITCHEN -2 -1
LE
LEVEL - 1
AUTOMATION BATHROOM - 1 KITCHENBEDROOM -1 -1
BATHROOM BEDROOM - 1- 2
KITCHENBEDROOM -2 -1 LIVINGROOM -2
LIVINGROOM - 2
BEDROOM - 2 LEVEL - 2
L
LE
BATHROOM - 2 LIVINGROOM -1 -1 KITCHEN
BEDROOM KITCHEN - 1- 2
BEDROOM - 1 LIVINGROOM -2 -2 KITCHEN
LEVEL - 1
BEDROOM - 2 LIVINGROOM - 1
KITCHEN - 1 CAPSULELIVINGROOM -1 -2
KITCHEN -2 -1 CAPSULE LEVEL - 2
VARIATION 1 LEVEL - 4 system may bring Built in that concept, this project explores what this LEVEL Design. -2 in Mass-Customization Housing The users, designers or even computers can easily arrange the space according to the unique needs based on this system without extra effort or cost. KITCHEN - 2 - 1 LIVINGROOM CAPSULE - 2
LIVINGROOM - 2
L
LE
LEVEL - 1
LEVEL - 4
AUTOMATION(FROM ROOM TO BUILDING) BEDROOM - 1
BEDROOM - 2
BEDROOM - 1
BEDROOM - 2 LIVINGROOM - 1
BATHROOM - 2
LIVINGROOM - 2
AUTOMATION BATHROOM - 2 KITCHEN - 1
LEVEL - 1
KITCHEN - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 4
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 5
AUTOMATION KITCHEN - 1
KITCHEN - 2
LEVEL - 2 LEVEL - 4
LEVEL - 1
LEVEL - 5
BEDROOM - 2
BEDROOM - 2 LIVINGROOM - 1
LIVINGROOM - 2
LIVINGROOM - 1
LIVINGROOM - 2 CAPSULE - 1
LEVEL - 1
KITCHEN - 2
LEVEL - 1
KITCHEN - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 4
CAPSULE - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 4
LEVEL - 5
LEVEL - 3
LEVEL - 6
LEVEL - 6
LEVEL - 5
LIVINGROOM - 2
LIVINGROOM - 2 CAPSULE - 1
CAPSULE - 1
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 4
CAPSULE - 2
CAPSULE - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 3
LEVEL - 5
VARIATION 1
CAPSULE - 2
LEVEL - 2
LEVEL - 3
LEVEL - 5
LEVEL- 7
LEVEL - 6
LEVEL- 7
LEVEL - 6
The floor plans in the building is also formed by different demands. The assembly of different housing units is based on the relationship among the households living on the same floor or the adjacent floors. Therefore, the unique form and different kinds of public space will be formed automatically as well. LEVEL - 3
LEVEL - 6
LEVEL- 7
METABOLISM
CAPSULE - 1
2027
CAPSULE - 2
LEVEL - 3
LEVEL- 7
NOW
VARIATION 1
2067
VARIATION 2
2117
VARIATION 3
Yang Li & Peng Xie
This system can also really achieve the metabolism. Since each module can be replaced, users can easily change their living space if they have different demands in their lives. That makes the building keep changing and updating itself.