Building a better world? Competing promises, visions, and imaginaries-in-the-making of the digitalization of architecture and construction

Bibliographic Data

ID9846211
AuthorsKathrin Braun (0000-0002-2015-3149, University of Stuttgart, corresponding author), Cordula Kropp (0000-0002-0373-1138, University of Stuttgart, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume154
Pages103262
Publication date2023-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFutures (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0016-3287 • E-ISSN: 1873-6378
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.futures.2023.103262
OpenAlexW4387521800
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited30

The building sector has a huge share of global greenhouse gas emission and waste production, cannot meet the growing demand for housing and struggles with skills shortages. In this situation, the digital transformation of architecture and construction promises new solutions for its most urgent challenges. In this article, we use a discourse analytical approach to map the landscape of imaginaries in the making regarding the sociodigital future of construction in the case of Germany. Examining a broad range of documents by professional associations, consulting firms, industry and business actors, governments, international organizations and other stakeholders, we have identified four main competing visions: one of industrialized automated construction, promising increased productivity, efficiency and competitiveness, one of data-based integration, promising relations of partnership and collaboration, a vision of a digitally enabled singularized architecture, where the logic of the unique surpasses the logic of the generic, and a vision of sustainable construction where computerbased technologies ensure the reduction of waste, emissions and consumption of resources. Examining these competing visions and the claims they are making on the present allows us to open up a space for negotiating conflicting objectives and asses the potentials and limitations of the new sociodigital possibilities more reflexively

Architectural engineering · Business · Economic growth · Economics · General partnership · Industrial organization · Negotiation · Political science · Productivity · Sociology · Vision · Architecture · BIM and Construction Integration · Design Education and Practice · Engineering · Technology, Environment, Urban Planning

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Open DOIOpen Access