06-08-2020 in Our services

Modular construction: Well advised with SHA

Serial construction with prefabricated elements from practice

If one thing is certain, it is constant change. In today’s world, planners must be able to respond quickly and individually to the client’s needs. Office structures need to be modernized, schools have to cope with increased demand and clubs are looking for flexible solutions for their sports facilities. And in times of housing shortages, new building concepts are also required here. SHA Scheffler Helbich Architekten GmbH meets these challenges with new and innovative approaches: Serial construction methods and prefabricated room systems can be promising and, above all, fast solutions.

Christoph Wunderlich, site manager of SHA’s Berlin planning office:

What is modular construction?

“Today’s modular construction combines short construction times, consistently high quality and adherence to deadlines. The planning has nothing to do with the stacking of overseas or office containers, as we know them from construction sites, for example. Modular construction offers a high degree of variability and flexibility for different uses and typologies and is always worthwhile where repetition is required. This gives you a clear advantage when things have to be done quickly.

Precise, weather-independent prefabrication in the factory and a high production and assembly speed definitely speak in favor of modular construction.”

How does modular construction affect planning?

“It’s not as if we say from the outset: ‘Now we’re planning this project in modular construction’. Rather, we check whether the requirements of the room program result in repetitions and grids that are suitable in principle for modular construction.

The high degree of prefabrication must be taken into account in the planning. Here, everything is already fixed in service phase 3, e.g. the drywall construction. For the design, this means that the spans and module dimensions of the various systems must be taken into account. On the other hand, it simplifies our work immensely when everything comes from a single source.

Of course, not everything in modular construction can be prefabricated one hundred percent in the factory; however, depending on the construction task, 80 to 90 % is certainly possible. In financial terms, the construction method corresponds roughly to conventional construction costs.”

What does modular construction look like in concrete terms?

“SHA has many years of experience with various modular construction systems. One example is our modular system for functional buildings, which can be individually and inexpensively adapted to the different requirements of sports and clubs. By combining individual module types – such as changing rooms, sanitary facilities or storage and technical rooms – suitable solutions can be created from standardized elements. Time and costs can be optimized through timber frame construction, type statics and prefabrication of e.g. sanitary elements. At the same time, the module family allows the functional buildings to be individualized, for example by designing the façades and access areas in the respective club colors. Short: Individual building concepts can be implemented quickly with serial construction. Our planning department will be happy to support you. We look forward to your inquiry!”