Flexibility and lean design approach in consumer oriented housing production

Housing production changes from a supply towards a demand market, especially in leading countries such as Netherlands and Japan. This will have serious implications on the building industry, including the developers, contractors and all other participants. On the other hand , flexible housing approach and lean construction methods will have an impact on the housing policies of relevant countries.This study is based on the assumption that the consumer oriented approach of early industrialized countries will affect the policies of other countries in the very near future. There is enough evidence implying that we are entering a new period utilizing the know-how of flexible housing production. Experiences such as Almere (Holland) and Next21 (Japan) gives us the clues of this new understanding which will be the synthesis of flexible design and Lean construction which is called Agile housing production. Recent cases shows that it is possible to make an evalution and comparison about the subject.This study focuses on lean construction and flexible housing approaches and evaluates the conflicts and gains between them and the conventional housing production. It also discusses the potential of mass customization and agile production in an environment which evolves from a sellers to buyers market. The paper addresses today's need for housing that can adapt to change over time. It also investigates the obstacles and reasons for its current non-implementation in the housing market. Can the problem of disconnection between supply and demand in housing production be solved? This is the core question of the study.