"Prefabrication is inevitable in the long term: a country of pawns in the future is unthinkable"
Interview to José Jurado Egea, Professor of the school of art and architecture of the Universidad Europea de Madrid
November 13, 2008
Born in Kempen, Germany, in 1962, José Jurado is architect by the higher technical school (ETS) of architecture of the Polytechnic University of Madrid. His teaching activity begins in the pre-profesional era in the Chair of building design of the Faculty of engineering in Darmstadt, Germany, exercising later construction III Chair of the school of architecture of the Polytechnic University of Madrid for six years up to his current position in the Department of building technology in the ESAYA. Combine this activity with the exercise of free in own Studio Professional in various residential projects and equipment, as well as consultancy and expertise.
José Jurado.
Can you do a review of the evolution of the role it has concrete prefabricated construction in our country and other countries around us?
There are actually two parallel stories: the ideas and the industry. Spain has enjoyed privileged minds of first order: Torroja, Fisac, Fernández Casado, Álvarez Castelao and many others. At this level we are comparable to any. Another very different thing has been the industry. Examples like Barredo are exceptional, and in general, lived import patents and having no patience to implement them or develop them.
To what extent is being affected sector of the precast concrete by the construction crisis?
When appears the storm, is the most rigid tree that suffers the consequences. As an industry that is, the prefabrication has higher implementation in situ and therefore fixed costs less waist to avoid the storm. It helps the ever-increasing regulations seriously and control of execution that defends well done product.
The large number of products that are included in the heading 'precast concrete', could establish a classification and comment the weight of each of the groups of products on the market?
The range is infinite, covers from the kerb to beam Delta passing through countless variants of enclosure and structural, so pieces semiprefabricadas and complementary to any system, such as closed systems turnkey. It certainly prevails in the first volume though lacking technical interest.
Can you cite the weaknesses or shortcomings of the precast concrete? What problems fail to solve these systems?
From the economic point of view, it is worth the phrase "everything is possible, although not everything is reasonable". Economies of scale limits supply almost always the simplest model and with little added value. Another weak point is the transport, because the distance from the point of manufacture sometimes have a decisive impact. And if we talk about the technique, the problem to be solved in the prefabrication is the Union of pieces type (for example, pillar and beam in docking) but there are solutions, and also brilliant, although they tend to be the most expensive.
What are the latest innovations in the industrial processes of production of the precast concrete?
Concretes of higher resistance, multifaceted smooth and textured finishes, colour and even photographic matrices, polymer armor in round, fibers or tissue (flat and 3D), etc. Determinant is the extension of machinery and industrial processes, such as e.g. volteadores formwork which allow to increase the number of faces with seen finishing, or the adjustment of thickness of the coating to cut costs. On the other hand does produce some unique patent personal push: mixed waffle slabs (LRM) and orthotropic l. Bozzo, the semiprefabricada patent of Fisac, f. Sánchez-Mora and S. González. Finally, the structures ER-Post alternative plants free of supports, among others. And more exotic products such as translucent concrete, are of course also incorporated but make no mistake, actually as a whole are not determining contributions on a large scale.
"The concrete needs to adjust its productivity to manufacture advanced designs that open up the market to the product adapted to the design, rather than the reverse"
What more could be done to promote the use of these products in the construction?
Prefabrication is inevitable in the long term. A country of pawns is unimaginable in the future. The precast concrete will find its natural area, although it will soon submit battle because, while other materials (metallic, polymeric, ceramic) are relatively easily from highly industrialized foreign markets, the weight, and therefore transport, it is an insurmountable obstacle except for national productsyet uncompetitive. Support undoubtedly would be promotion aesthetic of the concrete, both in structure as a coating, as that in the medium term Cove in the user, accepts it and requires it as a "modern" finish and the aesthetics of the brick can be left behind.
What I say of prefabricated houses? What is the evolution of this product in Spain? And in other countries with more tradition in this respect?
The design of 95 per cent of the proposals was regrettable. In addition it is ridiculous to imitate the retro aesthetic of gabled farmhouse for a client, if it is conservative, will logically tend to choose materials and also traditional techniques. Looking abroad do not want to deceive me thinking that everything is more beautiful, but the mere existence of systems such as the up-Pile are encouraged to think that there are other ways of doing, and certainly better.
What standard of quality will have prefabricated systems that are imposed on our country?
If quality means the policy, no doubt the European level, there is no other option in the globalized world. If it's design, remains to be seen if the industry opens his eyes and finally prefabrica the House of the 21st century that the architect has since fifteen years drawing.
How can we avoid falling into the danger of excessive standardization?
The problem is industrial and the solution must be industrial. Concrete needs to adjust their productivity in the best sense, the qualitative, to manufacture advanced designs that open up the market to the product adapted to the design, not vice-versa.
The construction is said to be the only (or the only) sector where much to advance the technologies and techniques, will always be essential labour do believes that this statement may be outdated if it imposes the use of these systems or?in any case, which would be the transformation that would experience the panorama laboral? Will die artisan implementation?
Each system has its plot. What is clear is manufactured 500.00 homes, and even many more in this last period, is not serious to avoid the serial manufacture. In fact it has been a very serious mistake, a missed opportunity that the industry will pay dearly. The user wants a standard House, that Yes, the best possible at the minimum price: the perfect setting for an industrial product. The design time that architecture can offer, but the sector of the construction, by inertia, remains committed to making the Seat Ibiza handmade as "maseratis" losing all margins on the road.
In line with the previous question, how should be addressed is the smooth development of the use of prefabricated concrete and the transformation of the qualifications of the workers?
Today the formation, from the FP to schools of its own motion, only thinks from the tradition, not form the operator of the 2012 and 2020. Finally there are always companies who recycle at their cost to the worker, with the constant danger of losing it once qualified at the hands of the competitor.
The State, and if this is not, you must be a grouping of prefabricadores, it must be implemented to create a line of training with a view to the future. Their own interests.
