, ▁especially ▁in ▁urban ▁environments . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁robust ▁social izing ▁element ▁that ▁is ▁rem in is cent ▁of ▁pre - indust rial ▁vern ac ular ▁architecture ▁and ▁community - based ▁building . ▁ ▁Some ▁organis ations ▁already ▁provide ▁mod ular ▁housing . ▁Such ▁organis ations ▁are ▁relevant ▁as ▁they ▁allow ▁for ▁the ▁online ▁sharing ▁of ▁construction ▁plans ▁and ▁tools . ▁These ▁plans ▁can ▁be ▁then ▁assemble d , ▁through ▁either ▁digital ▁fabric ation ▁like ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁or ▁even ▁s our cing ▁low - cost ▁materials ▁from ▁local ▁communities . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁noticed ▁that ▁given ▁how ▁easy ▁it ▁is ▁to ▁use ▁these ▁low - cost ▁materials ▁are ▁( for ▁example : ▁p lywood ), ▁it ▁can ▁help ▁increase ▁the ▁per me ation ▁of ▁these ▁open ▁buildings ▁to ▁areas ▁or ▁communities ▁that ▁lack ▁the ▁know - how ▁or ▁ab ilities ▁of ▁conventional ▁architect ural ▁or ▁construction ▁fir ms . ▁Er go , ▁it ▁allows ▁for ▁a ▁fund ament ally ▁more ▁standard ised ▁way ▁of ▁construct ing ▁houses ▁and ▁buildings . ▁The ▁over arch ing ▁idea ▁behind ▁it ▁remains ▁key ▁- ▁to ▁allow ▁for ▁easy ▁access ▁to ▁user - friend ly ▁layout s ▁which ▁anyone ▁can ▁use ▁to ▁build ▁in ▁a ▁more ▁sust ain able ▁and ▁afford able ▁way . ▁ ▁Mod ular ity ▁in ▁this ▁sense ▁is ▁building ▁a ▁house ▁from ▁different ▁standard ised ▁parts , ▁like ▁solving ▁a ▁j igs aw ▁puzz le . ▁▁▁▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁house . ▁ ▁The ▁main