System and methods employing prefabricated volumetric construction modules including transforming truss elements

A prefabricated construction volumetric module comprising:

• a frame structure divided into a truss zone and a habitation zone below the truss zone, the frame structure including a roof and support columns;
• a lateral joint on a first support column enabling the first support column to fold, the lateral joint defining a boundary between the truss zone and the habitation zone, wherein folding the first support column at the lateral joint modifies a lower region of the first support column from the habitation zone into a first horizontal ceiling truss positioned at the boundary of the truss zone;
• a column receiver that affixes to the first horizontal ceiling truss, the column receiver associated with the first horizontal ceiling truss positioned on an adjacent support column and at the boundary of the truss zone, the column receiver configured to affix the first support column when folded as a horizontal structural ceiling truss;
• and
• an attachment flange that is configured to structurally bolt to adjacent modules, the attachment flange extending outward to an exterior of the prefabricated construction volumetric module at the lateral joint and enabling a structural continuation of the horizontal structural ceiling truss to a neighboring ceiling truss of the adjacent module.

A system of prefabricated construction volumetric modules each including a frame structure divided into a truss zone and a habitation zone below the truss zone, the frame structure including a roof and support columns, the system comprising:

• a first volumetric module including a first pair of support columns on a single side, a diagonal structural ceiling truss in the truss zone, and a set of receiving elements associated with structural bolts to adjacent modules on a side opposite the first pair of support columns;
• and
• a second volumetric module including a folding support column that folds via a lateral joint at a corresponding boundary between the truss zone and the habitation zone, wherein folding the folding support column at the lateral joint causes a lower region of the folding support column convert into a horizontal structural ceiling truss;
• wherein the first volumetric module and the second volumetric module are bolted together in a building configuration wherein the diagonal structural ceiling truss and the horizontal structural ceiling truss together form a portion of a bowstring truss.