Project and scope
The programme was implemented by the Russian Ministry of Defence together with the Russian company Konversion-Wohnen and the German modular construction company BUK. A German government loan supported the financing and supply of the modular homes.
More than 4,000 apartments were built at around 50 locations across Russia. Most buildings were two storeys high, with approximately eight to ten apartments each, constructed from factory-produced volumetric modules. The historical project material documents the widely dispersed construction sites and the transport and logistics routes needed to serve them.
Frank-Michael Adam’s role
Frank-Michael Adam and ADAM: bauservice international supported the programme with technical assessments and ongoing specialist advice. A key focus was adapting the German modular construction system to Russian regulations and technical standards, and assessing structural design, assembly, quality and fitness for use.
Several technical reports were produced for MODUL, including assessments of different modular house types and construction phases in 1998 and 1999.
The project informed his academic research. He obtained the degrees of Dr.-Ing. (2001) and Dr.-Ing. habil. (2005).
Outcome
MODUL combined industrial prefabrication, international logistics, adaptation to Russian technical requirements and the construction of large numbers of residential buildings across many locations. Subsequent inspections and monitoring of the completed buildings provided further insights into the technical quality, safety and long-term use of modular buildings.