 |
| The house consists of three shipping containers, very functional and self-supporting structures. |
About SF Architects
| Architecture: | Sachie Fujimori, SF Architects |
| Project: | Casa Reciclada (Recycled House) |
| Containers: | 2x20 ft and 1x40 ft |
| Area: | 60 sqm (645 sqft) internal area and 53 sqm (570 sqft) terrace area |
| Location: | Peru |
| Year: | 2014 |
One of the most innovative proposals of the Casa Cor 2014 in Peru was the "Recycled House" by SF Architects, led by Sachie Fujimori and her team consisting of Anna Duelo, Ursula Ludowieg O'Phelan and Marc Koening, This is a purely ecological initiative based on shipping containers and recycled materials that privileges comfort, space savings and the self-generation of energy and resources.
The structure of the "Casa Reciclada" consists of three shipping containers. Two of them are 20 feet on the first floor, and one is 40 feet cantilevered container on the second floor. Fujimori explains that the design is created for a young couple for a countryside living.
The use of shipping containers for housing is an alternative that several countries have adopted to build homes, apartments or houses for students. In Peru shipping containers are usually use for mining camps, hospitals and offices.
"What's new in this case is that a shipping container, being a modular system component, becomes a fundamental part of design and can adapt without any problem to customer needs and tastes", Fujimori explains.
Among the advantages of this material, there are highlights in its self-supporting condition. Shipping containers are marine systems whose function is to transport cargo, and they have ability to engage in groups of nine, one over another. It shows that shipping containers are very structurally resistant, and they are also prepared to resist extreme temperatures. "These characteristics convert containers in very adaptable systems. Thus, it is possible to use it for different projects, such as construction of homes once they have been discharged", explains the architect.
In the same way, and if you plan to ever increase the number of rooms at home, you can increase the number of containers. "Make an architecture with shipping conteiners is an evolutionary work, which may vary over time", she says.
As part of the proposal, there are interior elements made from recycled materials. Inside of the house, it was decided to leave the floor of original container wood and terrace is made from recycled rubber tiles.
During the tour through the house, you appreciate multiple objects that have been transformed to give life to another product. For example, a modified topographic survey tripod was used to create a lamp; while at the entrance a small table was formed with a small bench and an old briefcase. In the second level, a Singer sewing machine serves as a base for washing basin while a tennis racket was turned into a mirror.
The shipping container house also has a small garden. The architect Fujimori states that this space was designed in compliance to own generation of energy and resources, as it allows cultivating food to have them fresh and at hand. Green wall works like natural thermal and acoustic insulator, which provides better comfort inside.
The same energy concept is applied in the placement of 10 solar panels on the roof. Ten solar panels reduces the electrical consumption of the house by more than 25% in the local climate, and also allows to illuminate the terrace and the garden, outside the house.
The "Recycled House" includes 60 sqm internal area and 53 sqm terrace area.
Social space was considered as terrace with floor from recycled rubber tiles; as well as an orchard and gardens on both the first and second levels.
The shipping container home includes an entrance hall, living room, kitchen-dining room and guest bathroom on the first floor, while in the cantilevered second floor there are the couple's desk area, bedroom and master bathroom.
Fujimori also highlights the use of glass materials, oriented to "open" the container towards the outside nature, considering that the house was designed for a countryside area. At the same time this also allows the visual space be wider.
"For these types of projects, what ideal in ecological terms is to use double leaf windows. This type of windows are in the bedroom and what they do is that the
indoor environment always have an optimal temperature; and at the same time, is acoustically resistant to noise exterior", she says.
The idea behind this project is to generate reflexion regarding the use of recycled materials and all possibilities that exist around them as well as the use of alternative solutions in terms of materials and clean energy.
In addition, the importance of knowing how to value living space: "We do not need to have zones so spacious or huge houses for comfortable living", Fujimori concludes.
