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Architects: Room11
- Year: 2013
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Photographs:Ben Hosking
Royal Wolf is a specialist in the hire, sale & modification of new & refurbished shipping containers. Utilising the steel fabrication skill sets of this company, Room11 take the claustrophobic volume within a regular shipping container and transform it into a spacious light filled work environment with planted internal courtyards.
The Project functions as the administrative and site office for the company at their depot and fabrication centre in Sunshine, Victoria. Offices and reception revolve around a centralised courtyard, with the meeting room, the kitchen and State and regional manager offices linked to further courtyards.
The design utilises whole containers, positioned in a way that 20ft and 40ft containers create four courtyards and externally form a complete rectangle. Ends of containers are sheared off and replaced with face fixed full height glazing. Rather than cover the metal skin of the containers internally, the sheared ends are re-used to create insulated sandwich panels, exposing and celebrating the raw container skin. The ceiling is also left exposed and insulated on top with rigid insulation and a membrane roof. Finally two containers are placed on end, creating a high narrow void with skylight at the entry while functioning as a marker for signage within the flat terrain.
Positioned next to a major road in an industrial area, there is a constant drone of large vehicles and heavy traffic. Each work space receives direct views to the courtyards. The office is internalised, the gardens bringing light and tranquility to an otherwise loud and hectic industrial intersection.
