Human Settlements Review - Parliamentary Monitoring Group

Human Settlements Review, Volume 1, Number 1, 2010
2.1.3 Design for Deconstruction,
Disassembly and Dismantling
When assessing for the adaptability of
a building, the following three aspects
must be considered; the materials used to
manufacture a building’s components, the
components themselves, and the building
as an entity. In dealing with these aspects
issues of deconstruction, disassembly and
dismantling have to be considered. Definitions
for Design for Deconstruction, Disassembly
and Dismantling seem to overlap and all use
the same DfD abbreviation. “Disassembly” is
seen to combine both “Deconstruction” and
“Dismantling” and puts more emphasis on
correct detailing, procedure and the use of
sub-assemblies (Osman and Herthogs, 2010).
Many guidelines have been developed for
the process of removing building components
and materials from an existing built structure
and the requirements for reprocessing the
salvaged components and materials, in
order to reintegrate them into another built
structure (Sassi, 2002; p.2). While most
of these guidelines focus specifically on
decreasing waste production, thus focussing
on environmental impact, other researchers
tend to focus on the importance of necessity of
deconstruction, disassembly and dismantling
in architecture from the building user’s point of
view – that is as tools for adaptability.
2.1.4 Mass Customization
The need to address demand through numbers,
reduced cost and speed (which always leads
to mass housing and mass production and
standardisation of questionable quality) needs
to be reconciled with the aims of the Breaking
New Ground (BNG) to personalise and
address individual needs (usually perceived
as being too complex a process, expensive
and slow).
In Mass Customization, mass production, in
this case mass housing, is approached with
an alternative system where customization is
attempted by developing systems rather than
products. These systems (perhaps resulting in
a kit of parts) could then be used to customize
the production of housing to individual needs.
This implies that processes of standardization
and partnering with industry suppliers would
be crucial to the success of this approach. This
is further explained in the below diagram:
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