Information age has impacted every aspect of design. Not only has it changed design processes and design economies but it has also widened the scope of people along the design group. CAD software has given helped people to interact better in terms of distinct design environments and now designers are no longer the select group but other professionals from various fields are also collaborating handsomely in the efforts. These new processes are instrumental in working out various design solutions and options making the inputs more efficient and creating an intelligent environment that can guide and inform the design process. And due to these innovations the customers are also being given a say in the outcome of the product. CAD and CAM systems enable design by consumers. This enables the customers to interact and also take part in the manufacturing process and also alter the core product.
Mass Customization in architecture hasn’t been that prolific (thank god!!!) as compared to other fields. Buildings are more complex structures and customization can only occur at a very in tangible scale. The components of buildings such as glazing, doors, closets etc. are some examples that have been made to order. A popular example of mass customization in architecture is the Skylights from AGC, Waterboro. It has an object-oriented design approach to designing and manufacturing custom skylights. It allows technicians to import geometry generated by the architects, build upon this model, and generate a complete model of the skylight or curtain-wall parametrically in 3D.
The same model, after several post-processing steps, is used directly for computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing of frame members and for the CNC cutting of custom glass sheets. Builders and individual homeowners can now also design their own glazings by giving parameters online.
But the question now arises till what point does mass customization let the users or consumers make design decisions. Mass customization could change the way designers design, as specific inputs will have to be put in for it to function as a custom made product. Mass customization in architecture is finding its ground but it will be kept to a very limited scale. Architects wont be too happy to see people changing the way he or she perceived the building. Modern era was the age for prototyping buildings, but in the age of digital technologies it will be more related to for e.g. Gehryism : making structural members of various on going Gehry design projects and making new design solutions out of those only. And where different elements of design could form a part of an architects vocabulary and be used only in his design solutions: could be called copyrighted customization where the designer has the final say. Otherwise it wont be too long before architects are found listed on EBay.
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