With growing urbanization and climate change fueling land degradation and putting traditional development models under pressure, construction practices supporting ecological resilience and responsible land use have become urgently needed. Smart modular construction, which is adaptive, has minimal impact, and is highly digitized, may offer a fresh stimulus for land restoration and progressive development. This research looks at modular systems from the perspective of architectural flexibility for use as infrastructure.
This study is based on the conceptual design activity of a Smart Reconfigurable Modular Envelope (SRME) via a duly accessible 3D modelling software, with reference to real case studies of modular building systems. The design issues considered are ease of transport, minimum interruption at the site, and the opportunity provided by the land itself to adapt to variable land conditions. The technical decisions, however, were seconded by research work in sustainable materials and modular foundations that do not require deep excavation and in light integration with some basic smart technologies, such as environmental sensors at a bare minimum cost. Scenario analysis extended to potential land use in degraded, transitional, and rural environments.
Rapid deployment with little environmental impact is made possible by the suggested SRME concept, which shows great promise for application in delicate landscapes. Over time, smart sensors enable more adaptive use and improved site management by providing basic real-time monitoring of environmental data like temperature, humidity, and air quality. The system promotes the circular use of materials and components.
Given this modular construction ability, the construction could go beyond the current trend of efficient-type building and land stewardship. Modular systems, fabricated via merging digital fabrication and ecological design principles with that of circular construction, could be envisaged as tools for the restoration of degraded landscapes, the enabling of flexible development, and the support of resilient socio-ecological futures.
