Book Name : HOUSING, PEOPLE, AND CITIES

Chapter : Industrializing the Housing Industry : Design,

Materials, and
Methods (pg 134-149)
Author : Martin Meyerson
Director, Joint Center for Urban Studies
of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and Harvard University
Summary :

Industrialization is the process of modernization where social change and

economical development takes place with technological innovation. Present is differ
from the past every methods are changing to adopt the new technology as the
objectives are changing with respect to the time. Housing Industry still heavily
depends on the material, production method, and design but the most of the
builders have not adopted the new technology , - reason shortage of designer and
architect who understand both the limitation and the potential of the industrialized
process, no revision in building practices and building codes from the local Govt. is
also one of the reason.

For the production of houses the National Economic Committee’s investigate

in 1940 that mass production techniques used in automobile manufacturing can be
applied in manufacturing of Houses to solve the housing problem which will
decrease the cost by increase in supply. But automobile industry can take the
advantage of advanced technology like design innovation, proper system of
distribution in which Housing industry is lacking.

Author mentioned that present housing industry is in same position as

automobile, gas stove and electric lights were in the early days. He gave examples
of innovation like Robie house-in ChicagoBy Frank Llyod in 1909 (the first example
of open house), Dymaxin house-1928 by Fuller, introduction of load bearing steel
panel and prefabricated housing -1932 by Howard Fisher and contribution in the
field of interiors by William Lewitt. Previously all buildings were made of wood, brick
or stone.The use of steel as first change in traditional building afterwards lots of
advanced building materials came in to the market like ash, plywood, aluminum,
wood fiber and plastics etc.

In the last author expressed the importance of management and

organization. Because new design or product can become successful when
management allocate both time and money in large amounts for innovation,
development, experimentation and application.
Conclusion :

New technology and new things alone will not rationalized the housing
industry not even the reduced cost of housing. Industrialization of the houses
provide the opportunity to satisfy the customer to have a good residential
environment and in the same sequence the encouragement of imaginative and
organized companies of the industry by more investment to concentrate on
production for housing will bring the economical but also better and quality product.

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