Open Source Building
Essay: Open source building — reinventing places of living K Larson, S Intille, T J McLeish, J Beaudin and R E Williams. BT Technology Journal, Vol 22 No 4, October 2004
URL = http://pubs.media.mit.edu/bttj/Paper21Pages187-200.pdf
Abstract
"In this paper, we argue that new technologies and strategies for design can enable a more responsive model for creating places of living.
We describe work by the House_n Research group at MIT to develop a conceptual framework for Open Source Building, and to prototype and test both alternative construction methodologies and new design tools that support it. We believe that this approach could transform how homes are created over the next 10-15 years, and create new pathways into this $322 billion per year market for companies producing materials, products, and services for the home.
[...] we advocate the replacement of generic speculative housing development with an open source building model where:
- developers become integrators and alliance builders, offering tailored solutions to individuals;
- architects design design-engines to efficiently create thousands of unique environments;
- manufacturers agree on interface standards and become tier-one suppliers of components, producing systems that share common sensing and communications infrastructure;
- builders become installers and assemblers;
- customers (home-buyers) become ‘designers’ at the centre of the process by receiving personalised information about design, products, and services at the point of decision."
(http://pubs.media.mit.edu/bttj/)
Excerpts
"* Scenario part 1 — developers as integrators
Residential developers now specialise in the process of acquisition, financing, and an increasingly complex public approval processes. They form business relationships with competing ‘builder-integrators,’ who manage the process of delivering individually tailored homes.
- Scenario part 2 — design, configuration and industry standards
Multifamily buildings are the first to adopt ‘open source building’ strategies. With a lengthy approval process, buildings must be designed long before an apartment buyer enters the process. To decrease risk and increase sale prices, developers now separate the building into two components: an open loft base building ‘chassis’ that efficiently integrates the essential services of a building, and customised ‘infill,’ configured by the user at the point of sale, fabricated to order and quickly connected to the chassis.
- Scenario part 3 — fabrication and installation
When a design is complete and the buyer transaction executed, a description of each system is transmitted to the integrator’s assembly factory. The integrator receives just-in-time deliveries of the required components from manufacturers and distributors, taking advantage of supply chain management tools similar to those developed in the automotive industry. With standardised connections, and tighter dimensional tolerances, the fit-out takes no more than 10 days. Although the systems of the home are functionally integrated, they are also carefully disentangled so that each can be changed during design or use without affecting the performance of the larger system. Most devices and systems have IP addresses and communicate wirelessly or by powerline carrier, allowing, for example, lighting control to be made and changed during the occupancy of the home."
Our approach to design decision making for non-expert designers involves four integrated components.
- Preference engine: This takes people through a series of exercises or games to uncover needs, preferences, values, and reasonable trade-offs — what might be called the architectural program. The preference engine builds a user profile that includes family size, budget, aesthetic values, and range of activities.
- Design engine: The architectural program generated by the preference engine is used to create a starting point design that the ‘designer’ (i.e. the future homeowner) then refines. We envision many design engines, each capturing the unique values of a particular designer.
- Design iteration interface: Using one of many possible design iteration interfaces, customers can experiment with design alternatives, and evaluate a complex mix of attributes including form, finishes, light, cost, appliances, performance, durability, technologies, and services. Through this interface, participating manufacturers can provide tailored information directly to the customer at the point of decision about the design, systems, appliances, and services for their tailored place of living. Once the design is set, data can be sent directly to manufacturers such as millwork fabricators who have pre-negotiated specifications and prices. For customised millwork and wall systems, data may go directly to the production line with little or no increased cost over mass production manufacturing. This new model may create a path to market for companies not presently players in this industry.
- Computational critics: While iteratively exploring a design solution, most nonexpert designers will require feedback from experts related to best practices, building codes, and design integrity. Computational critics can provide feedback to the user as incremental changes are made to the design."
(http://pubs.media.mit.edu/bttj/)
More Information
- This essay led to the creation of the Open Source Building Alliance Operation
- Video at http://www.media.mit.edu/events/movies/video.php?id=kll-bttj-2004-10