daiken met architects / nawakenji m: sugoroku office

‘shipping container studio’ by daiken-met architects, gifu, japan image © shinkenchiku-sha

japanese practice daiken-met architects have designed and completed ‘sugoroku office’, their personal studio in gifu, japan. a three storey mobile framework supports stacked shipping containers, forming the work areas and future living spaces on the penthouse floor. this building represents a model solution for those interested in surpassing the difficulty involved with making rental contracts for small scale structures in their city as well as responding to the local dilemmas of decreasing population and increasing vacant land.

the firm obtained a short-term contract by proposing a temporary structure which does not require construction below street level. the steel structural grid may be easily assembled and serves to reduce loads on the containers from the weight of its shell, furniture and users. upon completion of the lease, the structure may be disassembled and reconstructed elsewhere. a casing pipe joint in the middle of columns enable and simplify this process. storage systems were formed with used plywood or packing bands found on construction sites.

ground level entry image © shinkenchiku-sha

side elevation with ground level entry and stair to first floor image © shinkenchiku-sha

ground floor studio space image © shinkenchiku-sha

first floor kitchen image © shinkenchiku-sha

view from surrounding context image © shinkenchiku-sha

view from across the street image © shinkenchiku-sha

during construction

section

axonometric of structural frame

project info:

location: gifu, japan design: daiken met, nawakenji-m use: office, housing total floor area: 111 m2 completed: 2011