Client-engaged collaborative pre-design framework for modular housing

Abstract

Although modular construction benefits from standardized and repeatable modules, clients for housing projects seek tailor-made designs, making mass customization necessary. However, challenges persist in promptly identifying and satisfying these unique client needs during the early design phase, despite previous research efforts to address this limitation. This paper introduces the Client-engaged Modular Housing Platform (CEMHP), a collaborative design framework for the early phase of modular housing projects that supports the capture of client requirements, their analysis, the creation of visual content, and the reception of feedback from clients in an integrated manner. The results indicate that CEMHP enhances client decision-making, improves collaboration, and reduces unnecessary repetition. However, further data collection from clients and the enhancement of an algorithm for recommending suitable design samples based on this data remain necessary.