Project: Casa Conteiner RD Architects: KS arquitetos Bedrooms:3 Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil Area: 350 sqm (3767 qsft) Year: 2018 Photographs: Marcelo Donadussi Manufacturers: Deca, Docol, Eliane, Beaulieu Structural project: Manuel Barreras Collaboration: Helmut Radke, Fabiano Sturmer Precast structures: ASPM Metal structures: Radke Industrial Solutions Finishes: Elevato Furniture: Radke Industrial Solutions
Casa Conteiner RD 3 Bedroom Shipping Container Home is born from the intimacy of its owner with metallic structures: metallurgist by profession, dreamed of acting in the construction of his own house, together with his team, putting into practice industrial solutions in a context of conventional works. The idea of reusing and reframing shipping containers, which are ready-made and highly resistant structures, went straight to the will of the architectural firm to develop an unusual project.
Another major factor that guided the choice of materials was the optimization of the work, both in time and ease of assembly processes, differing greatly from traditional masonry and reinforced concrete. In principle, the use of shipping containers in constructions happens in very rational propositions, side by side or stacked, due to the ease of handling these modules.
Starting from the great structural potential that each container has, the formal concept of Casa Conteiner RD emerged: stacked but rotated structures, promoting great balances and unusual moments. The inspiration came during a survey when designers saw an iconic image of a large ship, full of containers, all piled up in disarray.
The 3 bedroom shipping container home is located in a hill of Porto Alegre, one of the highest points in the city. The landscape unfolds through the large windows towards a preservation area next to the lot, in the swinging and rotating volume of the master suite overlooks the Guaíba River and its unforgettable sunset. Various locations of containers in different directions provides different landscape views. In addition to the orientation and location aspects, the lot has more design issues than commonly found in urban lots.
Its shape has allowed all these rotating movements to happen so that the house's implantation does not come so close to the lot borders. The 3 bedroom shipping container home is comfortably set apart, maintaining family intimacy despite so many exterior openings that provide cross ventilation.
The land also has a steep slope, configuring a half-ground floor, where is the garage / workshop located. This volume, due to the contact with the ground, was made in precast concrete structure, keeping the standard and industrial logic of the construction. In the facades, it was decided to take advantage of the aesthetics of the shipping container itself, keeping the metallic structure apparent. Even the main entrance door of the residence is made with two original doors of shipping containers.
Internally, to ensure thermo-acoustic quality, the walls and ceilings were covered with plasterboard, while flooring, after leveling with OSB plates and smoothing layer, received vinyl flooring. Some inner walls reveal the raw structure, keeping and remembering that the unusual house is a large tower of overlapping shipping containers.
Floor plans
About KS arquitetos
“We walk in a context that expresses, at every step, a constant urgency for changes and adaptations. At every corner you can see, at different scales, the rush of construction and renovation. In this environment, sometimes put aside, resides a tired architecture, conformed to the impositions of the market and thought.
Our vision goes beyond the idea of a simple construction erected by concrete on foundations. We value values consistent with the reality of each project. We believe that the architectural differential is the union of three forces: the concept, the functionality and the viability, allied to each client's goal. We aim for a result that qualifies the city, the architecture and the life. ”
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Eliane
We are Eliane, the company that best understands ceramic tiles in Brazil. We are working to anticipate tomorrow while thinking in the present and connecting with the future.
Address
R. Maximiliano Gaidzinki, 245 - Centro, Cocal do Sul - SC, 88845-000, Brazil
Docol contributes to the conscious use of water with design, comfort, quality and technology, generating value for society, employees and shareholders.
Address
Av. Edmundo Doubrawa, 1001 Zona Industrial Norte, 89219-502 - Joinville/SC, Brazil
Project LightHotel Design Alchemy Build University of MN School of Architecture Students Site technology: WEDGETechnologies Containers 1 x 20 ft Area 120 sq ft Year 2016 Location: Minnesota
The LightHotel, a one room mobile hotel, stands as a beacon for ecotourism and sustainable living in the Twin Cities. It moves as the flow of the city requires, occupying places both celebrated and ignored. The city itself is its lobby.
The interior is efficient and luxe, making the most of limited space within the salvaged 8′ x 20′ shipping container. Just like most hotel rooms, there’s no kitchen, so overnight guests order “room service” from nearby hot spots. Built for the year-round Minnesota climate, it features a spray foam shell, triple-glazed windows and doors, solar powered HVAC, LED lighting and hydronic in-floor heat. The water system is self-contained, with a 250-gallon water tank that supplies an on-demand water heater and a bio-filter producing re-usable grey water. A high-end, roomy shower and separate toilet keep a body happy.
Mechanical detritus and applied typographic overlays entertain and provide functional insight. To be realized: an online public digital dashboard to map guest experiences and the LightHotel’s itinerary, educating guests on conservation and sustainability.
Led by Alchemy and weeHouse® founder Geoffrey Warner, AIA, the LightHotel is part of an ongoing effort to celebrate and create new paradigms for efficient living.
What is needed to use it immediately
Area + access. A solid, approximately level, ideally paved surface that allows for the LightHotel’s 8’ x 24’ footprint, and access to that spot by truck. Height is approximately 13’.
Water. Access to a water source (outdoor spigot) is helpful but may not be needed on a daily basis. The LightHotel accesses the water source with a garden hose. Its 250 gallon tank will last approximately 10-14 days with two guests.
Electrical. The LightHotel is intended to be fully off grid, but until it gets battery packs, it will need to be plugged in. A 100’ extension cord is provided. 240V outlet or site-wiring allows the solar array (3-240W panels) to power the condenser for the mini-split AC/heat. A 120V power source will allow full use for everything but the condenser.
Gas: two 80# propane tanks are supplied to run the boiler.
Video
LightHotel FAQ
Q What is the lightHotel? A The lighthotel is a one-room, mobile hotel and postcard for sustainability. Over 18 months it will occupy places both celebrated and ignored in the twin cities. It was designed by geoffrey warner, aia, principal architect at Alchemy Architects (St. Paul, MN).
Q Why build the lightHotel? A Half of the energy use in the twin cities is consumed by buildings. The lightHotel’s high-end design creates a positive, aspirational experience to inspire an alternate way of consuming both energy and space.
Q How much did it cost? A This was built as a one-time public art project by Alchemy + University of Minnesota students. We’re not exactly sure what it would take to replicate it, but it would be in the range of an deluxe RV. The break down of this pricing goes as follows:
Subtotal Fabrication Costs-External: $50,100 Subtotal Design + Build Costs-Internal: $70,435 Subtotal Donations: $50,450 Total Expenses To Date: $170,985
Q Can I order one? A At this time, no, alchemy is not taking orders for lighthotels. We are, however, planning and designing a new product called the lighthouse that takes some queues from the lighthotel. The lighthouse is 3x bigger than the lighthotel, has on- or off-grid potential, and is a fully functioning home that sleeps up to 4 people. We hope to price it between $75-$125K “all in”. It can be used as an adu, studio, cabin, retreat, student or assisted living. Stay in touch with us at www.weehouse.com for updates.
Q What makes the hotel green? A The most sustainable part about lighthotel is its potential to inform people about the effcient systems that make it work. A digital dashboard plots water and power consumption and displays guests’ photos and experiences as the lighthotel travels.
Q What was the concept for the design? A The lighthotel embraces the luxury of less. It has been crafted within a 120 square foot, salvaged shipping container. We encourage you to live large and pack light. The twin cities is your lobby and the lighthotel is your personal retreat.
Q What’s the big deal about energy? A The average american home utilizes 900kwh each month. By adopting the same systems that power, heat and cool the lighthotel, most american homes would spend closer to 100kwh.
Q What is an energy pool? A Think of the total amount of energy like a pool—it has many sources: coal, gas, nuclear, wind, solar, and hydro-electric power. It also has many drains: transportation, industry, buildings, and your laptop and phone. But buildings by far are the largest consumer of electricity, accounting for half of all energy usage in the state of Minnesota.
Q How about “green” energy? A Coal and gas each contribute a third to the “pool” of energy sources. Renewable sources, like wind and solar, are rising in contribution. The us has goals to produce half the nations’ electricity from renewable sources by 2025, and minnesota has embraced that endeavor with initiatives like the made in minnesota solar incentive program.
Q Where does the water come from? A The water that ows throughout lighthotel comes from a large reservoir underneath the bed. The reservoir holds approx. 250 Gallons of freshwater at a time. The water is then pumped through the utility closet and is heated and transferred to both the shower and sink.
Q What is greywater? A Greywater is essentially wastewater that has low levels of contaminants and if ltered can be applied for non-potable uses. In the lighthouse, the greywater comes from both the shower and faucet. It is then stored in the utility closet in a greywater lter where any bacteria or contaminants that may be present are removed. Once the water is ltered it can be used to water plants or reused for non-potable purposes.
Q Why should I care? A Most water systems in use today combine both the greywater and blackwater further contaminating the greywater and requiring professional water treatment. If more homes and businesses adopted greywater systems, they can take advantage of other ways of reusing greywater for applications such as dishwashers, laundry machines, and toilet water– minimizing freshwater waste.
Specs
Design
Geoffrey C.Warner, AIA, Alchemy LLC
Build
Alchemy LLC + University of MN School of Architecture Students Site technology: WEDGETechnologies
Shell
8’ x 20’ steel shipping container from SuperCubes
Address
Super Cubes LLC, 9240 Hillsboro Way, Savage, MN 55378, USA
Our distinct hands-on approach to architecture and design combines a playful design process, collaborative relationships with clients, and partnerships with builders and fabricators, to create a harmonious blend of site, building, and community. With sustainable practices as a mainstay of our daily work, Alchemy utilizes recycling and reuse along with building strategies that reduce waste. Our multidisciplinary team draws inspiration from art, literature, history, and leading creative thinkers to create alternative and atypical project solutions. Alchemy’s innovation on the weeHouse prefab system and “tightwad panache” renovations has gained recognition on an international scale.
Design Services
While Alchemy is known internationally for our design of the weeHouse, a large portion of Alchemy’s business is more traditional architectural design services including new builds, commercial projects, remodels, renovations, and general design consultation. As architects, our job is to solve design problems and help bring your ideas to reality.
Alchemy’s completion of the first weeHouse in 2003, then just an inexpensive prefab cabin, gained international attention as a symbol of architectural optimism. Since then, Alchemy has widened its scope, developing the weeHouse as a prefabricated answer for cabins, houses, offices, rooftop studios, and multi-unit developments, and has completed over 3 dozen prefabricated projects around the United States.
Whether you are looking to build a single site-built 200 square foot studio or a 75 unit prefab condominium, be sure to contact us and we will further evaluate your project needs. We work on both a project fee and hourly basis depending on project specifics.
Address
856 Raymond Ave, Suite G, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114, USA
About University of MN School of Architecture Students Site technology: WEDGETechnologies
We build foundations for marketing, web, and IT services. Clients leverage our integrated approach to meet their strategic goals in a whole new dimension.
Quirky
“If it ain’t broke: don’t fix it!” We hear this one a lot. Just because something works doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be tested, evaluated, and challenged. We’re big into this. To find areas of improvement, we challenge what we should expect from the world around us. Our curiosity and exploratory souls drive the way we work.
Innovative
When we challenge our worldly expectations, we find patterns of opportunity. Where a tool or solution doesn’t exist or provide the best experience, we take it upon ourselves to build it! We dream-up new ideas, systems, and approaches to solve problems every day. The typical needs the atypical to move forward.
Renaissance
We dabble in it all. We study the intersection of technology and creativity because we believe therein lies an untapped potential for problem solving. It’s challenging to do this because it requires we hold conflicting goals. Technology seeks to optimize and drives structure while creativity seeks emotions and drives humanity.
Wedge’s Vision
We desire to design a world where everyone can realize their happiness. In a world where reliance on technology is only increasing, we seek to abstract technical concepts so that everyone in business can access, understand, and leverage the powerful parts of technology. This is key to build space for creative problem solving.
Address
2406 James Ave N, Suite B, Minneapolis, MN 55411, USA
