pdf 1 - exhibitions international

BUILDING
ExTENSIONS
Containers are a fast and efficient tool to expand
existing buildings. They can add more
room to existing programmes or introduce
new content, are a handy solution because
they cause minimum site impact, involve
low noise pollution and function according
to the plug and play principles. Containers
are a very sensible solution for adding space
because they can easily be dismantled and
recycled again should the need pass.
This area of container architecture has great
potential. Perhaps in the future homeowners
will order specialized custom-made
top brand container accessories from online
catalogues,such as a Whirlpool wellness centre,
an Apple multimedia room, a Nike fitness
module and so on. Jones and Partners have
pointed their finger in the same direction
with their Package Home Tower. Judging from
Charles Nogry’s House Extension in Nantes,
which we are publishing in this volume, all
this is slowly becoming reality.
A temporary container extension can help
solve shortages of space in kindergartens.
Container
extensions
are a simple
way of adding
space to
the existing
structure.
Photo:Stephane Chalmeau
MIxED
CONSTRUCTIONS
AND SpICE-UpS
Containers are certainly convenient and versatile; however,
they do not offer a universal solution to every
problem. Container architecture reaches a completely
new level of potential when complemented with other
construction materials such as wood, steel and concrete.
This is particularly important for integrating containers
into sloping terrain: most times concrete slabs will
be used to even out the slope and containers are placed
on top. Exterior cladding also helps improve container
performance: timber slats, for instance, help protect
them from overheating. Additional constructions can be
used to support containers, lift them from the ground
or set them apart to create large open spaces between
them (cf. Manifesto House on p. 66 and the 12 Container
House by Adam Kalkin).
Sometimes architects and/or clients want to use containers
not for the supporting structures, i.e. not to
“build” something, but to spice things up and add additional
flavour to their story. In such cases containers
are usually statements in themselves.
34 35
The UniQlo
container in
Tokyo as a
three-fold
spice-up:
entrance box,
projecting
roof, and
changing
cabins on the
first floor. By
LOT-EK.
Photo: Danny Bright
Container architecture hits a completely
new level of potential when complemented
with other construction materials such as
wood, steel and concrete.
Photo: Normand Rajotte