An Adaptable Future with Industrial Democratic Design

The Industrial Democratic Design project is a product of the Copenhagen-based architectural office Vandkunsten's application of research based tools provided by the Adaptable Futures research programme. Based at Loughborough University the AF research team has developed numerous analytical tools to support the understanding of how adaptability can become an integrated part of building design solutions. The tool kit includes well defined strategies, instruments and measures which can promote adaptable qualities in buildings. As a completion of the three year research the AF team held a design competition which resulted in three winning proposals one of which was produced by Vandkunsten. Sustainable buildings are adaptable and adaptability releases a powerful democratic potential. This is, in short, the thesis of Vandkunsten's proposal for an adaptable way of building. The basic rationale is that the embodied energy resources of buildings must be protected carefully by ensuring longevity of buildings and building components. The life of a building
capable of adapting to new needs – functions, technologies, habits, fashions – should be longer than the life of a building designed for a single purpose only. Today, building codes and certification systems pay little attention to the resource
saving impacts of adaptability, but with further increases in energy price methods for conserving material resources it is likely to become more recognized. Vandkunsten's IDD project investigates possible architectural consequences which can be anticipated with a future adaptable building culture. The IDD project aims at contributing with a framework of bestpractice rules for the majority of buildings which can be defined as 'ordinary' as they constitute the physical frame for everyday purposes: living, producing, administrating, teaching etc.