The client is a young man who just has his start up business about 3D printing in Shanghai. By using 3D printing technology, everyone could design their own jewelry through his app. But even such a talented young man could has business problem due to the high renting price in Shanghai. So temporally he rent four container boxes for very low price as his office and house.
The container box is super flexible and stable. Many young generation in China like its industry feeling and atmosphere. However, the daylight and ventilation situation is bad inside for such kind of building. And during winter, it is super cold inside.
DESIGN STRATEGY: EXCHANGE TIME FOR SPACE
Because of the transformable characteristic of container boxes, we could arrange boxes in different ways. In the future, one can even build container buildings like playing LEGO. This is a new way of living and working. According to time, the space could change over different program. The 3 main functions are living & working & party.
1. Family Mode
During the living mode, the house has double height living room. The bed could be folded down. The kitchen and restroom have very good function as well. All family functions could be fulfilled in this mode. The Client could stay with his family during his free time.
2. Office Mode
As a startup company, the team need multiple different kind of space. During the working mode, all programs have to be reset according to the working environment. The hidden table could be pull out as an reception table. The folded floor could add on whole extra meeting room for the upper level. By folding the bed on the upper floor, one can get a whole new office room. The restroom become a place for brain storm. By folding out the wall, one can get a outside meeting place. The regular table could be stretched from 2m to 8m for cooperative working.
3. Party Mode
During the party mode, by opening the wall and pulling out the hidden box, one can have a extremely long space for all different activities including BBQ, dinner and party.
By industrial pre-production, the components can be pre-made in the factory and sent to the site. In the future, new possibilities could be shown. We can use industry solution to take all component to the site for construction.
We also take care of Genius loci to protect all plants on the site. The building and nature could living together. In the back yard, a simple tri-angled installation is designed for meditation. It is 6 meters high in order to introduce the sunlight. Combining with mirror steel and rough steel, one can get meditative experience inside.
Renovation of container boxes is just the tip of iceberg for huge renovation projects for the next 10 years in China. We are trying to solve the Chinese living problem by using the premade industry technology.