A Christmas Carol.
Recognising this reality, platform construction (P-DfMA) was Bryden Wood’s attempt to identify these types of cross-sector commonalities and develop a kit of parts which could then be used to build a variety of different sector types, but using the same components.This allows the application of manufacturing techniques and processes, with consistent quality achieved, as well as facilitating greater economies of scale..
The manufacturing industry has long enjoyed the benefits of this design to value approach.At BMW and Volkswagen a common car chassis is used across all models.It’s the finer details that change from car to car - the wheels, trim, engine, bodywork… Similarly, Ikea use a limited kit of components to create their various pieces of furniture.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re making a bed, wardrobe or bookcase, most of the connecting pieces are the same.Construction Platforms allow us to apply this same type of thinking to built assets.
Yes, those assets require flexibility, but the need for flexibility doesn’t have to be at odds with standardisation.
Using P-DfMA, we can have both..One of the most important things about PRiSM is the research that sits behind it, achieved through the analysis of literally thousands of London apartments.
PRiSM benefits from substantial research into a broad cross-section of residential developments, various typologies, areas and spaces within apartments.We wanted to understand just how much standardisation was actually taking place.
We also wanted to map out all of the different typologies it was possible to build, in order to create a common language with which to talk about housing.Because of the density requirements of inner-city London sites, we initially focused on central corridor apartment buildings within PRiSM.