Prioritize the Customize

The positive progression from mass production to mass customization is opening a multitude of doors for architects and the architectural profession. The “one size fits all” motto was destined for failure because the world is full of too many people, each with their own opinion and design taste, who want something that relates specifically to them. Enter in the role of mass customization and its ability to create architecture unique to the individual. “Refabricating Architecture” makes a very true statement in saying that, “in this century we desire choice, expression, individuality, and the ability to change our minds at the last minute.” While keeping the initial idea of mass producing an item or part quickly, cost effectively, and still providing quality, but allowing a new level of customization, the architectural world can advance to greater heights.

Mass customization is taking architecture to another level by impacting the design process as well as the construction process. The design process presents numerous factors that ultimately influence the finished product, including site, client, geographical location, or even budget. Mass customization allows all of these influences to be taken into consideration in order to produce a solution to the problem at hand. Once the design is completed using mass produced customized parts, creating these parts in a factory at a rapid and organized pace allows for budget control and a satisfied client who now has their building done in record time.

Using mass customization for construction ensures the same quality of work produced time and time again. No longer will construction production come to a halt due to weather or injury. All workers in a factory are well protected, safe, and comfortable while getting to stay in a controlled environment to do the same quality work that an on-site construction worker would do. The mass customization process also allows small parts to be partially assembled into bigger components that are better suited for travel and allow for a faster assembly at the site. This again not only saves money in the long run but helps the overall construction along in order for completion of the project to come sooner.

Mass customization in branding design only scratches the

 surface.

The impact the architectural profession can see from mass customization is limitless in possibility and can possibly help design take a new step forward. Once all designers adopt the program of using mass customization to their advantage, it is unimaginable what buildings can look like in the near future. Mass customization takes the old equation of Q x S = C x T and rewrites it to ensure that quality and scope will outweigh cost and time from now on.

 Why settle for mediocre when you can have anything you want? This is the problem that mass customization address and solves efficiently. You can have everything you want, as long as the architect is willing to give it to you. With the help of mass customization,
designs will increase in complexity and boundaries will be pushed to achieve the next 
big thing. Only progress can result from mass 

customization to positively affect architecture.