Imagine assembling a team of professional construction workers and engineers, handing them blueprints for a standard house, and offering double wages to complete the project within 48 hours. It sounds like a daunting challenge, but today’s construction technologies make this possible. In fact, prefabricated houses and 3D-printed homes can be ready in as little as 24 hours. And if you’re feeling adventurous, you could even opt for a foldable house to take on vacation—though it might be a tight fit for the whole family.

This is the new reality of speed in construction. However, when it comes to erecting apartment buildings or commercial towers, the process is more complex, yet still incredibly fast. Thanks to advancements in building foundations, prefabrication, and modular design technologies, it’s now possible to construct 10- or even 50-story towers in mere days.

But what about even larger megaprojects, like gigafactories, nuclear reactors, or subways? These can also be built at unprecedented speeds, often in 20 to 30% less time than traditional methods. So, what are the technologies behind these rapid constructions, and what are some of the most fascinating examples? Let’s dive in.

Importance of Accuracy, Speed, Modules, and Prefabrication

As construction technologies have advanced, it’s become clear that speed, driven by prefabrication and modular design, is crucial for the success of megaprojects. Longer timelines increase risks, uncertainty, and the potential for budget overruns.

One remarkable example of this is the expansion of the Madrid Metro, the fastest subway expansion in history. Typically, projects of this magnitude, like Copenhagen’s City Circle Line or London’s Victoria Line, take 15 to 20 years to complete. However, the Madrid Metro engineers completed 131 kilometers of metro lines and 76 stations in under 8 years.

How did they achieve this? The key was a strategy focused on modularity and replication. The engineers avoided creating architectural monuments and instead used tried-and-true technologies. By dividing the project into modules, each about 5 kilometers long, and using multiple tunnel-boring machines simultaneously, they significantly reduced the construction timeline. This method, which we now recognize as “replicable modularity in design and speed in iteration,” proved to be a game-changer.

Another impressive example is Tesla’s Nevada Gigafactory. Announced in late 2014, this $5 billion, 10 million-square-foot facility quickly became one of the world’s largest and most productive plants for electric motors, batteries, and energy storage products. Instead of building the entire factory at once, Tesla opted for a modular approach. They constructed one production block at a time, tested it, fixed any issues, and then replicated it. This method allowed the factory to become operational in just a few months, far faster than the 7 years such a complex project would typically require.

In contrast, projects that deviate from this approach can face significant challenges. For example, Japan’s Monju sodium-cooled fast reactor, a $12 billion experiment in nuclear energy, produced only one hour of electricity over 22 years and is now being dismantled at a cost of $3.5 billion. This failure underscores the importance of starting with smaller, modular units before scaling up.

Fast-Track Skyscrapers and High-Rises

Now, let’s explore how these principles apply to high-rise buildings, which traditionally require strong foundations and columns that take weeks to construct. Yet, advancements in modular construction have dramatically reduced the time needed to build even the tallest structures.

One notable innovation is the use of B-Core floor slabs, inspired by the aerospace industry. These slabs, made from stainless steel plates formed into honeycomb panels, are both light and strong. By adapting this technology, companies like China’s Broad Group have been able to create prefabricated modules for up to 50-story towers. Once the specifications are provided, the modules can be ready in just two weeks, and a 10-story building can be erected in as little as 29 hours.

In 2021, Broad Group demonstrated this capability with the “Living Building,” an apartment block assembled from standard container-sized modular units in just a few days. The building, complete with maintenance, electricity, heating, and air conditioning systems, only needed to be connected to external utilities to become fully operational.

To push the boundaries even further, Broad Group constructed the Mini Sky City in Changsha, China—a 57-story tower built in just 19 days. This remarkable building can withstand high-magnitude earthquakes and severe storms, proving that speed does not have to come at the expense of safety or durability.

Another fascinating example is the Ark Floating Hotel on Dongting Lake, built in less than 6 days. Designed by Russian firm Remistudio with the help of the International Union of Architects and constructed by Broad Group, this futuristic, self-contained oasis is powered entirely by renewable energy and rises with sea levels, showcasing the potential for sustainable, rapid construction.

Conclusion

The rapid advancements in construction technologies, particularly in modular design and prefabrication, are revolutionizing how we approach building everything from high-rise towers to megaprojects like factories and metro systems. The ability to complete projects in a fraction of the time once thought necessary opens up new possibilities for urban development, disaster recovery, and sustainable living.

Could we soon see entire cities built in mere weeks? As these technologies continue to evolve, that possibility might not be as far-fetched as it sounds. Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insights into the world’s most impressive megaprojects.