The modular and functional design of the prefabricated building organism. The emblematic case of the “Block-Volume” system

The contribution addresses modular and functional design within the building organism. Specifically, it relates to prefabrication processes. The topic of modularity and modular coordination has been the focus of numerous research studies from the early 20th century to the present. This begins with a preliminary analysis of the state of the art concerning studies and publications focused on modular coordination and prefabrication, which established the scientific prerequisites for the first implementations. In fact, using modular coordination is a key process tool for industrialisation in construction. The research analysed various applications of prefabricated systems in northeast Italy, particularly in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. The representative case of the company Ursella di Buja in Udine shows a synthesis between the evolution of prefabricated systems through the realisation of numerous buildings and, most importantly, the creation of new construction solutions. The paper highlights the innovation of prefabricated systems, transitioning from the production of two-dimensional panels to the “Block-Volume” system. This represented an innovative response to the urgent demand for new housing following the tragic earthquake that devastated the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in 1976.