Modular Architect

Introduction

In this section, Ryan Smith introduces the guest speaker Kendra Halliwell and her expertise in multi-family housing.

Introduction of Kendra Halliwell

• Kendra Halliwell is an associate principal at Icahn architecture in Boston.

• Her expertise is in multifamily housing, ranging from affordable housing to senior mixed-income artists live-work spaces.

• She has worked on the largest multifamily modular project in the city of Boston to date.

Overview of Modular Project

In this section, Kendra provides an overview of a modular project she worked on and shares some useful takeaways for designing off-site fabricated multifamily buildings.

Project Overview

• The project consisted of two buildings: an adaptive reuse with 46 micro-units and some retail space, and a new multi-family modular project with four stories of combustible wood boxes over a steel podium with a roof deck on top.

• The two buildings were connected with an underground corridor.

• The site was located in a dense urban area about ten minutes from downtown Boston by the orange line T.

• Off-site manufacturing helped reduce congestion during construction.

Framework for Team

• The framework for the team was different from conventional projects because they had additional structural engineers who did the modular boxes specifically.

• The modular manufacturer was a sub to the general contractor.

Schedule and Cost Savings

• Modular projects have shorter schedules than typical projects, which can save money upfront but require more investment initially.

• Designing and detailing occurred while going through permitting to save time.

• It's important to get your team together early, including your owner, general contractor, and manufacturer because each manufacturer works differently.

Conclusion

In this section, Kendra concludes her presentation by emphasizing that the goal of modular construction is to save three to six months in the schedule.

Final Thoughts

• The goal of modular construction is to save time and money.

• It's important to get your team together early and make decisions before building the factory.

• Modular projects have shorter schedules than typical projects, which can save money upfront but require more investment initially.

Modular Construction Layout

In this section, the speaker discusses the layout of modular construction and how it differs from conventional construction.

Differences in Layout

• The modular approach required changes to the layout of the building.

• The boxes used in modular construction are all the same size.

• The demising line is critical in modular construction, and connections should be made through the corridor.

• Coordination and communication are essential when designing a modular building.

Virtual Design Construction Coordinator

In this section, the speaker talks about the importance of having a virtual design construction coordinator for a modular project.

Importance of VDC Coordinator

• A VDC coordinator is critical for ensuring that all details are communicated effectively between team members.

• Tight corridor limits make it even more challenging to coordinate mechanical systems in a modular building.

• It's important to find a manufacturer who works with 3D modeling programs to ensure that tight tolerances can be achieved.

Factory Visit and Building Process

In this section, the speaker describes their visit to a factory where they observed how boxes were built for their modular project.

Building Process

• Visiting the factory regularly is crucial to keep an eye on what's going on during construction.

• Boxes are built simultaneously for walls, floors, and ceilings before being brought together at assembly time.

• Boxes take approximately 45 minutes each to stack on-site.

Building a Modular Tower

In this section, the speaker talks about the challenges they faced while building a modular tower and shares some lessons learned.

Challenges Faced

• Instead of building a typical elevator tower, they had to convince the site guys to wait until they built around it because they wanted to bring the boxes in and build around it.

• The last significant portion of the building went up. They got all the smaller bits and pieces at the end so they had some wedges that on the outside faces.

• They needed parapet walls in order to complete their installation on the roof. If they had had their parapet walls during week two, they could have been actually sloped in the roof and moving the project forward a little quicker.

Lessons Learned

• The sound separation is unsurpassable both in corridors and units. The insulation is really great where exterior insulation was installed in the factory.

• Modular construction can save time but it's not a silver bullet. People think it might cost less but it actually requires more materials because of double walls and level floors.

• You can design whatever you want as long as you coordinate. Spend time at the factory.

Standardization in Modular Construction

In this section, Kendra talks about standardization in modular construction from a design perspective.

Standardization in Modular Construction

• There tends to be miscommunication between manufacturers when we talk to them. They tend to blame clients and architects for a lack of standardization.

• Standardization in modular construction is very much like the standardization that we have in conventional construction. Things like the floor-ceiling assembly are not rocket science, we use the same systems over and over.

Design Perspective

• You can design whatever you want as long as you coordinate. There are different ways to have larger stands.

• Architects sometimes fear that possible standardization will take away their services as well as their free will.

Modular Construction and Better Housing

In this section, the speakers discuss how modular construction can help improve the quality of housing.

Modular Construction as a Tool

• Modular construction is seen as another tool in the toolbox for building construction.

• Modular construction can be faster and comparable in cost to traditional construction methods.

• The potential for higher quality housing with modular construction is discussed.

Benefits of Factory-Built Construction

• Factory-built construction can result in better quality due to being built under a roof and not exposed to weather elements.

• Efficiency in labor and materials is increased with factory-built construction.

• Airtightness is improved with factory-built construction, which leads to better building efficiency.

Steel vs. Light Wood Frame Modular Construction

In this section, the speakers discuss their experiences with steel and light wood frame modular constructions.

Learning from Previous Projects

• The speaker learned a lot from their previous project using light wood frame modular construction.

• The speaker discusses their current project using steel and concrete modular construction.

Affordable Housing and Modular Construction

In this section, the speaker discusses their experience with affordable housing projects and modular construction. They also talk about the challenges of finding the right manufacturer for modular construction.

Affordable Housing Projects

• Mixed-income housing is becoming more common in Boston to help subsidize lower-income housing.

• Design reviews are necessary for zoning and community engagement, so it's important to consider both contextual neighborhood design and city design review requirements.

Modular Construction Challenges

• The decision to go modular was made by the owner/developer to bring the building online sooner.

• The team was brought together early on in the process through competitive bidding.

• Finding the right manufacturer for modules is critical, but options are limited in some areas.

• The boxes were erected first, then cores were added due to advice from the manufacturer regarding safety during installation.

• Stairs were built into boxes to speed up construction.

Conclusion

The speaker provides insights into their experience with affordable housing projects and modular construction. They highlight that mixed-income housing is becoming more common in Boston, but design reviews are necessary for zoning and community engagement. Additionally, finding the right manufacturer for modules can be challenging due to limited options in some areas.