Evolution of Nontraditional Methods of Construction: 21st Century Pragmatic Viewpoint

Abstract

Technology has played a major role in the process of forming the architectural theory and practice during the twentieth century. The discourse on technology is well received both in hermeneutics and in architectural theory. What has been paid very little attention is how the notion has evolved and developed pragmatically. This paper will focus on the paradigm shift from the established ways of building on-site to the new methods of production of space off-site. The focus, however, is not the shift itself but rather how the destination paradigm has been comprehended and translated into practical solutions and how those solutions have established a dialogue with architecture both as a profession and as the final product. The milestone in this study is the Industrial Revolution, known as the architect of change in this transition. This paper does not provide a chronology of construction technology. By contrast, it focuses on the evolution both of the concepts from a semantic viewpoint and of the application from a pragmatic viewpoint in an international context.