For a number of years, modular construction – the use of prefabricated elements in architecture – has once again become a subject of lively discussion and debate. Long written off as monotonous, today’s building components are actually highly differentiated and capable of supporting and enhancing the architect’s creativity. Numerous structures work with prefabricated components; for single-family homes the figure is ninety-eight percent, and modular systems are available that meet high aesthetic standards.
This book provides an overview of the various different systems and their possible uses, particularly in the areas of housing, office, and industrial buildings. It explains the processes and components of modular construction and the behavior of the various materials when this construction approach is used. The authors offer strategies for planning and designing with prefabricated systems so that the architect can use them productively.
Numerous drawings explain the principles of modular construction, while built examples forge a link between those principles and the practical activity of building.
Sharon Chung-Klatte, Akademie van Bouwkunst Maastricht; Reinhard Hasselbach, Architekt in Berlin; Ulrich Knaack, TU Delft.
Sharon Chung-Klatte, Akademie van Bouwkunst Maastricht; Reinhard Hasselbach, architect in Berlin; Ulrich Knaack, TU Delft.
Sharon Chung-Klatte, Akademie van Bouwkunst Maastricht; Reinhard Hasselbach, Architekt in Berlin; Ulrich Knaack, TU Delft. 
Sharon Chung-Klatte, Akademie van Bouwkunst Maastricht; Reinhard Hasselbach, architect in Berlin; Ulrich Knaack, TU Delft. 
Dr. Ulrich Knaack was formerly an architect in Düsseldorf and is now a professor of construction and design at the Technische Universiteit Delft (Delft University of Technology) and the Fachhochschule Detmold (University of Applied Sciences, Detmold). He is the author of the well-known textbook "Konstruktiver Glasbau" (Glass Construction) and editor of the Birkhäuser series "Principles of Construction".