The usual perception of temporary architecture is, however, of impermanent, transient, low-quality building, neither tuned to its purpose nor appropriate to its site. In the developed world, commercially manufactured demountable buildings are already used in many diverse locations - in commerce, industry, education, health care, housing, and the military - yet the varied products used in these roles, though considerably more sophisticated in materials and construction, seem to have evolved through an ad-hoc design process. Very few demountable buildings have been designed for a dedicated user with that user's specific requirements in mind, and very few make much use of knowledge from designs that have gone before and the sometimes more advanced technology available in other unrelated applications.

This research examines the history and development of portable, re-locatable, demountable and flexible architecture; assesses contemporary examples by designers, builders, and manufacturers; and explores the products of related industries where the possibility of technology transfer to this area of design has yet to be fully appreciated. The functional demands made of portable buildings undoubtedly define their form, which is then shaped by the technology available for their construction. This work examines these pragmatic issues but also explores the underlying philosophical, cultural and social issues that have shaped this physical manifestation, for it is in this area that the relationship between architectural form and suitability to purpose can be effectively gauged and the lessons learnt applied to future design work.  

(Extract from the introduction to Architecture in Motion: The History and Development of the Portable Building, Routledge, 2013)

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