A Modular Renaissance: How to Design Successful Structures
We are experiencing a renaissance in modular building brought on by several converging factors, including improved digital design tools and fabrication techniques, ongoing labor shortages, and increased calls for more productive and cost-effective construction approaches. Designers can apply these approaches in many projects, ranging from well-funded startups to typical residential 5-on-1 podium forms. Modular scheduling benefits are well known—allowing project teams to pre-fabricate components, panels, or even entire building units off-site and ship them ready to install. However, designers must also consider a series of lesser-known but critical aspects that differ from standard construction.
In this webinar, we will discuss modular structures and share lessons learned from new design and legal investigation projects that apply to developers, architects, engineers, and modular startups and manufacturers. We will explore several important issues, including design standardization and customization, coordination between various parties, challenging member and node configurations, and more.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Understand why modular structures differ from typical beam-column structures.
- Identify design approaches and processes that must be considered with modular approaches.
- Recognize how modules and their assembly can create new safety issues, whether from the structure itself or from non-structural aspects like MEP or finishes.
- Discuss ways to set up modular projects that minimize risk and increase the chance of success.
Participants will earn 1.0 AIA CES Learning Unit (LU/HSW) for attending the live webinar. Registration is free. Please note that space is limited – email events@sgh.com to join our waitlist if the session is closed when you register.
About the Speaker
Paul Kassabian is a Principal in SGH’s Structural Engineering group and also leads SGH’s digital technology business. He has worked on multiple one-off design projects using internally developed computational tools and is expanding that experience to build scalable, useful engineering thought for property and infrastructure portfolio owners. He has lectured full courses to graduate structural engineering and architectural students at MIT, Harvard GSD, and RISD. He also posts videos on YouTube on engineering and technology.
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