The Past and Present of Modular Architecture: From the Industrial Revolution to the Smart Era

Origins and Early Practices of Modular Architecture (Pre-20th Century – 1960s)

The concept of modular architecture can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution, but it began systematic development in the early 20th century. In 1921, French modernist architect Le Corbusier proposed the idea of “building houses like automobiles” in Towards a New Architecture, emphasizing standardization and functional design. This became a theoretical cornerstone of modular construction. After World War II, this concept was widely implemented: housing shortages in war-torn Europe led countries like the UK and Germany to adopt precast concrete components for rapid housing construction, accelerating the industrialization of architecture. For instance, the UK promoted large panel concrete systems in the 1950s, while Germany developed various prefabricated structural forms.

At the 1967 Montreal Expo, architect Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67 became a milestone in modular architecture. The project comprised 365 concrete modules forming 158 residential units, stacked in interlocking levels to balance privacy with shared green spaces. It showcased the potential of prefabrication and explored human-centric residential environments. Around the same time, Japanese Metabolist architect Kisho Kurokawa presented the Nakagin Capsule Tower (1972), featuring replaceable capsule units to explore dynamic growth and functional iteration in architecture. Though dismantled in 2022 due to maintenance challenges, its conceptual influence remains significant.

Diversification of Systems and Global Development (1970s – Early 21st Century)

As materials science and engineering technology advanced, modular construction branched into three primary systems: concrete, steel, and timber, each finding unique regional applications.

1. Concrete Modular Systems
   Represented by Europe and Singapore, concrete modules are widely used in high-rise buildings. Since 2014, Singapore has mandated the use of Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) in public housing. A key example is The Clement Canopy, where cast-in-place core walls were combined with prefabricated modules to efficiently construct a 40-storey tower. In China, the Zhangkengjing affordable housing project in Shenzhen adopted an innovative “box-formwork and cast-in-place shear wall” system to reduce module weight and enhance structural integrity through post-casting segments. During module hoisting, large-scale lifting equipment such as overhead cranes greatly improved construction safety and efficiency, ensuring precise module placement.
2. Steel Modular Systems
   The United States has excelled in steel modular architecture, evolving alongside industrialized housing. Early applications focused on trailer-style mobile homes, but quality improved with regulatory acts such as the 1976 National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act. Since 2010, Marriott has used 168 steel modules to build a 26-storey hotel, setting a benchmark for modular high-rises in the U.S. China also made breakthroughs in emergency construction, with Wuhan’s Leishenshan and Huoshenshan hospitals completed in 7 days using light steel box systems. On construction sites, gantry cranes are commonly used for rapid module transport and assembly, demonstrating remarkable efficiency during emergency responses.
3. Timber Modular Systems
   Scandinavian countries and Japan lead in timber modular technologies. Japan promoted standardization through its “Excellent Housing Components Certification System,” while Norway’s 18-storey Mjøstårnet tower showcased timber’s potential in sustainable architecture. In recent years, China has expanded timber modular use in scenic area lodges and low-carbon communities under favorable policies.

Contemporary Innovations and Expanded Applications (2010s – Present)

1. Integration of Smart and Digital Technologies
   Modular construction now integrates BIM (Building Information Modeling), IoT, and other digital tools for end-to-end management across design, production, and construction. For example, the Xiong’an Citizen Service Center coordinated the precise installation of 1,680 steel modules via BIM, reducing project duration by 40%. Singapore’s Matrix ONE office building features detachable modules, allowing future reconfiguration and demonstrating full lifecycle management.
2. Green and Low-Carbon Transformation
   Modular construction reduces up to 75% of construction waste and 50% of carbon emissions. Timber modules, with their carbon-sequestering properties, further enhance sustainability. Canada’s T3 office building, built with CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) modules, reduced its carbon footprint by 30% compared to traditional construction. Increasingly, module transport demands environmentally friendly equipment; for example, low-noise, eco-friendly gantry cranes are employed to minimize impact during the handling of large timber modules.
3. Innovation in Hybrid Structural Systems
   To overcome height limitations, hybrid systems are being developed. The public housing project at Hunan Agricultural University in China combined steel frames with lightweight modular units to maintain load-bearing performance while enabling rapid installation. Singapore’s OMA-designed New Town project stacked mega modules (each measuring 70.5 × 22 × 16.5 meters) to form a vertical community housing 1,040 apartments. In such large-scale projects, overhead cranes are essential for wide-span lifting tasks, improving spatial efficiency in dense urban developments.

Challenges and Future Trends

1. Current Issues

• Standardization vs. Customization: Balancing industrialized production with diverse user needs.
• Technical Bottlenecks: Issues such as seismic performance of joints and costs of large-module transport and installation remain unresolved.
• Public Perception: In some regions, modular buildings are still associated with “low-end housing,” limiting market acceptance.

2. Future Directions

• Smart Construction: AI-powered automated production lines and 3D printing will further enhance precision and efficiency.
• Circular Economy: Modular designs that are detachable and reusable (e.g., Matrix ONE) will promote closed-loop use of building resources.
• Cultural Integration: Traditional architectural elements like dougong brackets or coffered ceilings can be reinterpreted through modular systems, as in the Yueshengyuan project in Ningbo, which uses Siheyuan-style modules to reflect Jiangnan courtyard culture.

Conclusion

From Le Corbusier’s industrial ideals to today’s intelligent modular complexes, the evolution of modular architecture is a saga of technological innovation interwoven with societal needs. It has become not only a practical tool for addressing housing shortages and post-disaster reconstruction, but also a vital medium for transitioning the construction industry toward sustainability and smart technologies. Looking forward, with deeper integration of material science, digital innovation, and cultural creativity, modular architecture may redefine the human-space relationship and serve as a cornerstone of future sustainable cities. In this transformation, large-scale equipment technologies such as bridge cranes and gantry cranes will continue to play a foundational role in enabling precise, efficient modular construction.