Thailand-based firm Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated has repurposed eight old shipping containers into a beautiful car center in the Thai city of Nonthaburi, a suburb of Bangkok. The elegant, light-filled building is made up of four small containers and four larger models, which were arranged strategically to fit into a very compact and narrow corner lot.
When the owners of an existing building on the same site approached the architects with the desire to expand their car care business, the designers immediately went to work strategizing the best way to build on the 3,000-square-foot lot, which was quite long and narrow. Accordingly, the team decided to create a custom vertical design that would make the most out of the space without overwhelming the streetscape. Their solution was to use several repurposed shipping containers to create a three-story building that could serve as a flexible, multi-purpose space for years to come.
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The ground floor was designed to house the overflow business of the existing car company and for extra storage. Although the space is currently empty, a restaurant and bar are planned for the second floor. The third floor was turned into a light-filled office space. An outdoor staircase lets visitors head up to the upper floors without entering the car storage area.
The arrangement of the containers was based on a two-fold strategy: to make the most out of the space provided and to optimize the amount of natural light. The design also revolved around a number of passive features, including metal sunshades that were installed on the west façade and the roof to reflect the sunlight and provide shade from the blaring Thai heat.
Additionally, the architects painted the exterior of the building in a matte black, not only as a way of blending it into the urban surroundings but also to reduce solar radiation. By contrast, the interior spaces were painted a bright white that modernizes the industrial design.
+ Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated
Via Archdaily
Photography by Chaovarith Poonphol Photography via Archimontage Design Fields Sophisticated
