Located in the Vila Mariana, district of São Paulo, the Box St. project is based on the desire of customers to carry out a food trade with containers that allow a new interaction with external space and even a public use of space. With reduced budget and short term, the program and the implantation were a great challenge, as several difficulties were presented for HAA! Studio. Seeking to minimize resources and materials, prefabricated solutions were employed, reconciling the production of the office with the idea that was presented to us.
In a land of 4m x 40m, located in the neighborhood of Vila Mariana in São Paulo, there was the desire of the clients to carry out a food trade made with containers that would allow a greater interaction with the external space. With a short budget and short deadline, the program became a challenge because it presented several simultaneously difficulties.
The solution found was to build with pre-fabricated components, and to drastically reduce the workforce in the wild. In the design process, several container deployment possibilities were tested, taking into account the minimum changes in the container modules and the circulation within the narrow terrain. We use the project participatory process with the clients, making dynamics for the final definition of the implementation, leaving them always aware of all the consequences in each proposal. And the end result was unanimous to everyone involved. We divide the first container asymmetrically, using the larger inclined piece on the ground facade, being the bar block, thus allowing an isolation of the public-private with the architecture itself, the entrance access being made by the side of the container, allowing the cleaning On the facade, and "antechamber" access. The small portion of the container was used as a bathroom block and storage tank. The second container was used in its entirety, requiring a large side opening of 2/3 of its length to couple the building module in Steel Frame, thus widening its area, and opening the restaurant block. Another major project challenge was the logistic question of how to unload and deploy the containers given the 4m width of the site. After many transport companies found it impossible to do the service, we found one that met the challenge. It was necessary to develop alternative ways of discharging the containers, since in fact, conventional methods would not work.
Due to the advent of trucks with up to 40 tons, it would be impossible for the foundation to resist the friction of the wheel, and yet we would need to have the foundations ready at the moment when the containers were implanted. For this purpose, we used a system of pre- Manufactured, which enabled the locomotion and fast positioning.
For the paving of the ground was used the gravel 0, as it presents a great cost-benefit and to exempt preliminary steps, such as the accomplishment of counter floor, waterproofing and drainage system. Reducing costs, time and labor needs.
The containers were internally coated with a thermal insulation blanket, and OSB plates for final finishing, the use of OSB plates withstand the twisting efforts of the container at the moment of the locomotion of the same without cracks, besides possessing Low cost and aesthetically composing the project.