A recording of a debate at the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.

From the housing crisis to infrastructure projects, construction is more important than ever. Everyone seems to agree that innovation is crucial to the resurgence of the construction sector. And yet, for all the fine words and government initiatives, the construction industry continues to languish in the doldrums with very little innovation. While the UK has been slow to adopt the latest technologies, other countries have embraced new methods, such as modular construction. So why aren’t robots manufacturing housing in giant factories to be transported to site? Why is there so little investment in 3D printed construction? Where are the new materials and processes, and what needs to be done in order to create them?

DR THEO DOUNAS

senior lecturer, Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and the Built Environment, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

LISA FINLAY

group leader and partner, Heatherwick Studio; founder, 7N architecture practice

SIMON RAWLINSON

head of strategic research and insight, Arcadis; member, Construction Leadership Council; member, UK Government BIM
Task Group

NEIL THOMPSON

director, digital construction, SNC Lavalin Atkins; associate professor, University College London

CHAIR: AUSTIN WILLIAMS

senior lecturer, Dept of Architecture, Kingston University, London; honorary research fellow, XJTLU, Suzhou, China; author, China’s Urban Revolution