Undoubtedly, many of us believe that modular construction is a recent invention. We are under the impression that technological advancements and innovative thinking of the contemporary era lead to the introduction of these extraordinary construction phenomena. While the latter is partially true, you may be surprised to hear that modular construction has been a part of human history for centuries.
You may have thought that portable cabins, garages, and sheds only emerged in the 20th century, but historical facts will leave you gasping in awe.
Yes, it is true that traditional mass constructions heavily relied on a linear process of building structures. In the latter, the initiation of the next step in construction is dependent upon the completion of the one before it. For instance, framing the structure can not commence before the site preparation and grading is complete.
Surprisingly, this time-consuming technique is still apparent in many parts of the world even today.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t the need to save time during commercial construction that led to this innovation. In fact, it was humankind’s unique trait of independently seeking out ways to combat challenging situations.
This blog post will explore some interesting historical events involving modular construction and discuss where the trend stands in the current era.
What Does History Reveal?
History tells us that modular units have been a part of humanity’s existence in one way or the other. Although the modular units of the past lacked the sophistication of the modern structures we know of today, their existence, nevertheless, is quite fascinating.
Let us slowly pull back the drapes:
The Roman Era
The first hints of prefabricated living structures date back to ancient Roman times.
Shocking, isn’t it?
A glance into history unveils a lot about the distinctive ways the Roman armies forced their enemies to accept defeat. Their techniques were well-thought and polished. One of such great war techniques was that they carried their fortifications along when going out to war. This mainly served a defence purpose rather than to provide a permanent living structure.
These so-called forts, which were more like camps, provided a home-like refuge for the soldiers whenever they were in a war. These structures were temporarily erected on a particular site so that the soldiers could quickly return to it when there was a need to retreat or rest. The latter saved them from the dangers of being scattered in an enemy’s habitat.
The American Fisherman’s Famous House
The second amazing manifestation of prefabricated units was witnessed in the 1600s. A colonial American fisherman, who had relocated to America from England, desired a house constructed from exquisite English construction techniques. However, having the contractors come to America would have been prohibitively costly.
Hence, he sought out a solution by having a disassembled house shipped all the way across the Atlantic Ocean through a boat.
Yet, the first-ever documented prefabricated house was constructed by John Manning in the 1830s. This London-based carpenter built a house for his son who had emigrated to Australia and had it shipped in parts.
The California Gold Rush
In 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold in Coloma, California. This news attracted around 300 000 people from the rest of America and overseas to California. The latter resulted in what is known as the California gold rush.
However, the sudden population explosion necessitated a large number of houses. But having them constructed through a linear process was not an option. Hence, this point in history marked the start of large-scale prefabricated modular construction.
The Eiffel Tower
While many people regard visits to Paris as enchanting and romantic, very few are aware that the popular Eiffel Tower was also built through prefabricated construction methods in 1889.
This trend continued in the postwar eras, and before we knew it, modular construction transformed into a way to save time and money.
Prefabrication In The Modern Era
Today, modular construction is not only restricted to residential home construction but has branched out into commercial and industrial construction as well. From portable garden sheds to garages, cabins, restaurants, office blocks, and even skyscrapers, everything boasts a touch of prefabrication.
In terms of quality, these units undergo excessive inspection and flaunt excellent sturdiness and craftsmanship. The trick is to approach a reliable company.
Having their dream house built in half of the time and at a significantly reduced cost is a blessing that everyone cherishes.
About Stahl Strutures
While paying attention to each client’s needs, preferences, and tastes, Stahl Strutures constructs a wide variety of personalised portable units such as garages, sheds, cabins, offices, and much more. Through the utilisation of excellent craftsmanship and high-quality materials, we provide only up-to–the-mark products to our valued customers. Contact us now to learn more.