13.11.2023 - Aluminium Association

On December 12, the Eco Architecture and Innovative Design. Aluminium Modular Solutions for Residential, Public Buildings, and Tourist Infrastructure Facilities round table was held at the Central Architects Club. The roundtable was attended by architects, designers, developers, leading experts in technical regulation for construction, companies manufacturing structures, materials, modular homes, and associations interested in the development of the modular housing market in Russia. Among the speakers were representatives of the Association for the Development of Modular Construction, FTS, the Development 2.0 expert community, and such companies as Genezis, Novaya Konstruktsiya, DoorHan, Avista Modul and Bearing Systems. The event was moderated by Elena Asanova, Director of Market Relations, Aluminium Association.

The roundtable participants discussed the key tasks for the development of modular construction in Russia, technical regulation, new technologies, and the use of environmentally friendly, energy-efficient materials.

Welcoming the participants, Nikolai Shumakov, President of the Russian Union of Architects, mentioned that he has been using aluminium in his designs since the late 1970s. Currently, aluminium is used in many transport and public infrastructure facilities. Nikolai Shumakov encouraged architects and designers to participate in the Russian National Open Architectural Competition for the Concept of Modular, Aluminium Buildings.

Irina Kazovskaya, Chairperson of the Aluminium Association, highlighted the high demand for aluminium in the construction sector and other industries. Aluminium is a unique metal with its distinctive place, without supplanting other materials. "We are developing new advanced aluminium products and introducing them to the market. In collaboration with architects, we are pioneering a new approach in our country: modular homes with aluminium solutions, which will be both functional and aesthetically pleasing," noted Irina Kazovskaya.

The experts agreed that contemporary construction solutions for housing, social facilities and tourist infrastructure should adhere to the principles of sustainable architecture, use eco-friendly materials and minimise environmental impact. Modular construction is a current trend that holds significant potential for the future. With the approval of the GOST for modular construction next year and the refinement of the regulations and cost estimate procedures, the modular design market will receive an additional boost. Given its properties like lightness, strength, malleability and eco-friendliness, aluminium is one of the preferred materials for modular construction.

New technologies for the rapid construction of housing and public buildings will serve the national interest by stimulating housing development in small towns and remote areas, and by enabling the rapid and high-quality development of public and tourist infrastructure.

Alexey Komov, Vice President of the Union of Moscow Architects, announced the "All-Russian open architectural competition for the development of modern buildings of various functional purposes based on block-modular technology and aluminium solutions". The competition will take place on March 20-22 at the Central Architects Club. The deadline for submissions is December 29, 2023.

"The main objective of the competition is to enable architects, engineers, and manufacturers to create, new advanced systems", stated Alexey Komov.

Ekaterina Dominguez, CEO of ARMS, stated: "Modular construction is the future of development. The closer the positions of all market stakeholders — material suppliers, architects, and manufacturers — the more innovative and constructive solutions we can expect. If we examine global practices, the most striking and effective modular solutions are hybrid, where the structure is made of various materials. The search for exciting combinations is a challenge for engineers. Modular construction addresses a variety of issues: higher speed of construction, boosting productivity, and enabling construction in inaccessible locations. Aluminium is a superior material with numerous advantages. I believe that the competition organised by the Union of Architects will attract real talent.

For the rules of the Russian National Open Architectural Competition for the Concept Of Modular, Aluminium Buildings please visit the Russian Union of Architects website.