Vienna 2024

Vienna
2024

At our first Symposium at Die Angewandte in April 2024 we put our thesis to the test with a group of leading architects, consultants, clients and makers.

Following three Keynotes on Thursday, the panel discussions on Friday, asked what it means to be Designing for Industrialised Construction, what the Role of Technology is and how it will impact on Architectural Quality (see full recordings below).

Conclusions

We found alignment around the need for change and a reassuring consensus around the main theme and provocation of the symposium.

The three panel discussions, which explored the thesis against the background of the design process, the role of technology and impact on architectural quality were highly inspiring. Four key points seemed to be the main outcome, reflecting again, what we outlined in the opening session:

1. Projects vs. Products

Construction projects will not become products. The route to an industrial construction process is developing product and systems solutions that enable prefabrication and assembly to realise these projects.

2. Interfaces

There was universal agreement that interfaces between these products and systems must be resolved as part of the design process, well before construction starts.

3. Standardisation vs. Alignment

Standardisation seems neither realistic, nor desirable, as it isn’t conducive to creating a liveable built environment. Instead, we need to create alignment in definitions, language and performance criteria, between designers, fabricators, and clients.

4. Risks

Most risks can be mitigated through design. They must be owned in a collaborative manner, rather than being packaged and passed on to the next stakeholder in the value chain.

There is more to do to bring the key decision makers to the same point of engagement and the same thinking. We are therefore planning Fabrication Gap 2025, where this will be the focus. 

Scroll down for Keynotes, presentations by the panellists and recordings of the discussions.

Speakers

Wolf Mangelsdorf, Fabian Scheurer, Christian Kaufield, Roland Sitzberger, Jonathan Roynon, Viviana Muscoletta, Erlend Spets-McKinsey, Al Fisher, David Flynn, Matthew Holloway, Wolfgang Rieder, Maria Mateo Navarro, Daniel Wright, Friedrich Ludewig, Mareike Lamm and Melike Altinisik.

Keynotes

Productizing Construction by Fabian Scheurer, Professor for Digital Construction Technology and Fabrication, Partner at Design-to-Production, München

The AEC industry has failed to adopt digitalization and industrialization. The solution lies in a product-based approach, in which components of a building are standardized though digital planning, yet the overall product remains customizable at a mass scale. This shift will enhance collaboration between industries, allow for iterative optimization and enable faster, safer and cheaper construction processes.

Streamlining Hardware Development by Chris Kaufield,
Vice President of SaaS Growth, Stoke Space, Seattle

High-cadence engineering emphasizes a fast, iterative, and integrated approach to engineering that leverages ownership, traceability, and efficient production to create competitive advantages.

Panel 1

Designing for Industrialised Construction

Chair: Wolf Mangelsdorf

Panellists: Roland Sitzberger, Jonathan Roynon, Viviana Muscoletta, Erlend Spets

Changing the System: How to overcome the fabrication gap? by Roland Sitzberger, Porsche Consulting

To improve the productivity of the construction industry, there needs to be changes made in three areas: 1) focus on processes that prevent problems before they arise and align long-term goals with milestones;  2) adopt an integrated approach with consistent value chains across product development that prioritizes customer value from the beginning; 3) Collaborate with developers at every stage of the project to create scalable systems.

Risk-Resilient Construction by Jonathan Roynon, Büro Happold

DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly) emphasizes the need for flexibility in design to accommodate multiple suppliers, standardized parts, and common frameworks, allowing for better collaboration and reduced risk.

Collaborative Design Freedom by Viviana Muscoletta, Zaha Hadid

Designers need to develop methodologies that engage all actors in the supply chain from the outset of a project and utilize digital tools to maximize their creative freedom and push design boundaries.

Scalable Shifts in Construction by Erlend Spets, McKinsey

Past efforts to industrialize construction failed due to issues such as fragmentation, lack of standardization and demand volatility for manufacturers. To overcome these challenges, there needs to be a shift towards robust, standardized building systems, partnerships across the value chain to enhance learning and profitability, digital integration for design and construction processes, and early-stage involvement from developers to adopt these systems.

Panel 2

The Role of Technology

Chair: Fabian Scheurer

Panellists: Al Fisher, David Flynn, Matthew Holloway, Wolfgang Rieder

Collaborate, Iterate, Integrate by Al Fisher, Büro Happold

Technology in the construction industry facilitates an iterative project process by enabling collaboration, continuous improvement, and comprehension through robust information exchange and interoperability. A cultural shift towards a specification-based design approach, supported by a persistent semantic framework, ensures consistent and meaningful data sharing across the project lifecycle.

Open-Source, Product-Led Construction by David Flynn, Kope

“Industrialized construction needs to be open source and competitive to foster innovation. To do this, we need a product-led approach. True competitiveness is allowing manufacturers to engage in a meritocracy. As a first step, let designers handle inter-faces, let the computer handle intra-faces.”

Kit-of-Parts Solution by Matthew Holloway, Grimshaw

Volumetric construction is less favorable due to higher costs and embodied carbon, whereas a kit of parts approach with standardized and flexible components offers a more cost-effective, low-carbon solution with improved supply chain competitiveness. By adopting this approach and developing a digital configurator for design and procurement, the construction industry can achieve significant savings and efficiencies while allowing for customization and scalability across different projects.

Panel 3

Impact on Architectural Quality

Chair: Bence Pap 

Panellists: Maria Mateo Navarro, Daniel Wright, Friedrich Ludewig, Mareike Lamm, Melike Altinisik

Scalable Kit Systems by Maria Mateo Navarro, ECE

The AEC industry should aim to create a scalable and flexible kit of parts system for buildings, involving more stakeholders in decision-making, to deliver high-quality, adaptable designs at the right price point for different plots and master plans while ensuring efficient construction and cost management.

Systemized, Flexible Solutions by Daniel Wright, RSHP

The future of practice will focus on using technology and off-site manufacturing to create flexible, systemized building solutions. The Leadenhall Building is an example where standard elements are combined in unique ways to provide site-specific, cost-effective designs within a consistent architectural framework.

Scalable, Carbon-Neutral Prototypes by Friedrich Ludewig, Acme

Rewe supermarket's new prototype is an example of a scalable, carbon-neutral building product which creates a new brand identity through the use of simple, repeated timber connections. An online configurator optimizes new building designs and enables architects to be involved without overcomplicating the process.

The Beauty of Industrialization by Mareike Lamm, Sauerbruch Hutton

Modular construction exemplifies how industrial processes can yield aesthetically pleasing and sustainable buildings. By integrating modular methods with a focus on reducing both operational and embodied energy, we can achieve flexibility and beauty in architecture, exemplifying that efficiency does not have to compromise individuality.