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 for 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.