Design for disassembly and cultural sites. The use of modular architecture and prefabrication in exhibition venues

The article discusses the use of modular architecture and prefabrication in exhibition venues, looking at the possibility of designing installations with multiple temporalities. Through four concrete experimentations, we discuss ways of repurposing precast modules in new layouts with different functional programs in line with the “design for disassembly” concept. The article also emphasises the relevance of the massive residential construction programme based on modular and prefabricated systems launched by the German Democratic Republic in the mid-1970s, and the importance of reducing the environmental impact of concrete production today.  Moreover, aiming at the need to devise new strategies, it presents a research agenda towards the adoption of prefabricated modules or the cultural sector. The four cases presented here are derived from the experimental use of modular solutions by the Porto-based practice  SUMMARY:  the  GOMOS  system  indicates  that  prefabricated  modules  may  have  a  longer  lifespan  than  traditional  building  layouts, as they can be repurposed, making their reuse economically viable and environmentally friendly; the “Infrastructure-Structure-Architecture”  installation  at  La  Biennale  2016  reflects  on  possible  adjustments  in  the construction industry; the project for the 2018 YAP MAXXI showcases the design process of a temporary installation  that  becomes  a  permanent  building;  and  the  VR  exhibition  “The  Reasons  Offsite”  addresses  prefabrication as a portable dissemination project.