Northern Light floods through the central atrium of the new building, illuminating the work spaces and exhibition areas of artists, sculptors, jewellery makers, fashion designers and architects.
For some clients, accuracy in delivery is the most important thing.For others, such as the UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow, the biggest benefit arises from having the fewest number of people on site and the fastest possible delivery.
What this means is that ultimately there are many different forms of P-DfMA which are appropriate.. With Platform construction (P-DfMA), we’ve attempted to take everything we’ve learned in our client work and embed it in a set of components that clients and the industry more generally can benefit from.We’re focusing on the least amount of material, the lowest carbon materials, the highest levels of productivity.These are the driving principles of P-DfMA and industrialised construction more generally..
Automation in construction.In terms of maximising value, we must also address the reality that at present, the majority of an architect or designer’s time is spent documenting ideas, whereas in actuality, it is the creation of the idea in the first place which is the most value-adding element.
One benefit of standardising components and adopting a P-DfMA approach is that we can document the rules around those components.
This in turn means we’re able to automate the design process (to a certain level), or certainly automate the production of the BIM model.. Standardising components and digitising workflows enables architects and designers to spend more time generating ideas and better designs, more time performing simulation and testing.We sometimes hear people express concern that Modern Methods of Construction will be the death of good design.
On the contrary, we believe construction Platforms and DfMA will deliver better, more holistically designed, individual assets.Not cookie-cutter buildings.
A key aspect of a Platforms approach to design is the notion that we standardise at component level, but allow complete freedom at asset level.A standardised kit of parts, coupled with the use of machines to eliminate repetitive tasks, will give architects and designers more time to spend exploring outcomes and adding value.