The Architecture of Assembly: Rethinking Design Through Modular Systems

Through research, experimentation, and industry collaboration, Kasian’s Work Integrated Design Studio in partnership with the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) provides a platform for to test ideas, develop concepts, and actively contribute to conversations shaping the future of the built environment.

Our recent work integrated studio – now in its second year – explored modular systems, not only as construction strategies, but as architectural languages capable of generating adaptable, context-sensitive, human-centred spaces. SAPL students were challenged to reimagine the way we design and build through modular prefabrication and material innovation.

Conventional construction in Canada is increasingly constrained by rising costs, labour shortages, and schedule uncertainty, reducing predictability and extending timelines. Meanwhile, rapid population growth has intensified demand across housing, education, and healthcare, placing pressure on limited infrastructure. In response, modular construction offers a compelling alternative by shifting much of the building process off-site into controlled environments. This improves quality, increases efficiency, and accelerates delivery while minimizing on-site disruption.

Through an iterative design process, students received feedback from professionals in the modular industry and from other architects within the Kasian office. The design studio tested the programmatic, spatial, structural, and social potential of modular design across diverse contexts with each presenting unique constraints and opportunities.

The students’ research explored modular design across. Across these varied scales and contexts, modular can be understood not only as a construction method, but as a flexible framework for rethinking how we design and deliver buildings.

Colour Coded: A Study on Elementary Schools as a Typology for Modular Architecture

by Keegan Muth

This study explores how modular architecture can be applied to elementary school design in response to increasing pressures on educational spaces, where inflexible layouts, poor adjacencies, and monotonous circulation often limit adaptability and engagement. Using a hybrid modular approach, the project combines kit-of-parts systems and volumetric modules within a consistent 3m x 3 metre grid. Shared spaces such as gymnasiums, cafeterias, and foyers are organized as a central hub using panelized systems, while classrooms are arranged into colour-coded neighbourhoods composed of repeatable volumetric modules. These elements are connected through a continuous courtyard circulation space, rethinking traditional school layouts while using colour to enhance wayfinding and create a more engaging, human-centred learning environment.

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MODULE

by Cole Rennie

MODULE is a modular architectural system for high school buildings, developed with reference to North Trail High School in Calgary. It responds to enrolment growth and the widespread reliance on temporary portables by proposing a permanent framework organized around a regular structural grid. Prefabricated floor and roof assemblies work with a coordinated set of façade panels, allowing classrooms, gyms, commons, and support spaces to be combined, extended, or rearranged while maintaining consistent spatial quality and a clear architectural identity. Rather than treating modular construction as a temporary solution, the project positions it as an integrated planning tool that links program, structure, and site into a flexible system capable of being phased, densified, and adapted over time.

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The Missing Middle

by Sean Kohil and Coby Watson

The ‘missing middle’ housing gap refers to the shortage of medium-density typologies such as townhomes, multiplexes, and mid-rise apartments that sit between single-family homes and high-rise towers. In Calgary, this gap limits access to affordable, family-oriented housing within established neighbourhoods. The proposal applies a kit-of-parts modular system using prefabricated components such as wall panels, floor cassettes, and service cores, organized within a repeatable structural grid. This approach enables a range of unit types and building forms to be developed efficiently while maintaining design quality and adaptability. By supporting infill development, phased construction, and diverse housing configurations, the project demonstrates how modular design can deliver scalable, community-oriented solutions to address affordability and densification in growing urban contexts.

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Adaptive Living System: The Half-Lot Modular Housing

by Emily Sima and Frank Chen

Adaptive Living System explores how modular architecture can support evolving needs within single-family housing through flexibility over time. Responding to Calgary’s housing shortage, extreme climate, and demand for adaptable homes, the project frames modularity not only as a construction strategy, but as a way of thinking about living. The design proposes a modular framework in which each dwelling becomes a system of parts that can expand, contract, or reconfigure in response to changing household dynamics, from multi-generational living to shifting lifestyle needs. A kit-of-parts approach supports incremental growth, enabling adaptation without full redevelopment. By integrating modular systems with site and climate considerations, the project prioritizes resilience, efficiency, and long-term livability.

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The NODE: Modular Mid-Rise Student Housing Project

by Manal Ali and Alice Chiem

The NODE is a hybrid modular student housing proposal in Calgary’s University District that responds to increasing demand for accessible, high-quality living environments. Guided by the principles of density, comfort, and community, the design is organized on a 2.6 x 2.6 metre grid, creating a flexible and efficient framework that supports diverse living arrangements and future adaptability. Units are carefully planned to prioritize acoustic separation, spatial clarity, and durability. Undergraduate housing emphasizes vibrant, social living, while graduate units provide quieter, more private environments for focused study and independence. Shared lounges, study spaces, and collaborative areas are distributed throughout the building, reinforcing a sense of community while balancing privacy and collective living within a dense urban model.

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MOSAIC

by Naamveer Sond and Maryam Khalid

MOSAIC reimagines remote housing as a flexible, human-centred living system rather than a temporary or purely logistical solution. Designed for isolated work environments, the project responds to the realities of distance, climate, and long work cycles through modular prefabricated units that can be efficiently transported and assembled with minimal disruption to the land. The system is based on standardized module sizes that allow for multiple configurations, adapting to different sites, workforce sizes, and program needs. Housing is organized into clusters, courtyards, and clear circulation networks that support both individual privacy and collective life. Prioritizing the everyday experience of residents, MOSAIC demonstrates how modular design can create dignified, adaptable, and community-oriented living environments in remote contexts.

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Together, these diverse prototypes act as testing grounds for innovation, challenging conventional models while demonstrating how modular design can support more resilient, adaptable, and inclusive approaches to living, working, and learning. Research can operate as a complementary layer to professional practice, enriching design thinking through real-world data and emerging technologies

Building on this foundation, Kasian actively engages with clients and collaborators to advance modular design, contributing thoughtful, rigorously developed solutions across a range of project types and scales, and fostering ongoing dialogue around new models of design and delivery.

Work Integrated Design Studio Team

Instructor:

Anna Batebe (Kasian)

Studio critics:

Rhys Kane (ROC Modular)

Aman Adatia (EPOC)

Chris Herman (Kasian)

Lama Kamareddine (Kasian)

Bart Otwinowski (Kasian)

Darren Pollanski (Kasian)