With Test Kitchen taking the number one spot at the 2015 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards (again) and Pot Luck Club featuring in the Top 10, we were extremely excited to hear the latest news around Luke Dale-Roberts’ soon-to-be-launched restaurant in Cape Town.

Naturalis, which was designed by Pot Luck Club architect Greg Scott, will be located in the same location as Luke’s two award-winning restaurants, at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock.

With sustainable design at its core, Naturalis will be built using upcycled containers. “I call it my incubation hub,” says Luke. Interiors will feature no-fuss modern materials, including raw wood and organic textiles. There will be a fermentation room, a cheese room, a roof top garden and (potentially) a bakery, as well as a little hatch at the front of the restaurant highlighting the delicious items found on the menu.

Cuisine, which will be served around a central oak table with a view of the kitchen, will be experimental. “Fermentation, curing, culturing and drying: these are at the core of what I will be doing at Naturalis,” explains Luke. “Ingredients will be treated simply; everything is returning back to basics, back to the source.”

We can’t wait!

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A flair for the unexpected and an abiding love of coffee have inspired the owner of this business to combine his passions in one striking workspace.

On a compact tract of land opposite the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, stands an unconventional structure in the midst of what is essentially a neglected light industrial area.

Constructed out of used shipping containers, artfully stacked like Lego blocks, the home of the Foghound Interactive Coffee Company and Foghound Studios is a striking space that has become something of a landmark in the area.

Foghound MD Neil Symon – a coffee fanatic since the age of 14 and a 20-year media industry veteran – had a vision of a showroom and coffee shop that would epitomise the tradition of coffee-making culture while demonstrating a clear need to conserve the environment.

“I love experimenting, I love creating, and I love doing different things, from creating TV commercials to creating coffee blends,” Neil says. “It’s a way of creative expression. It’s the same with the new building. We used the very containers in which our coffee products had been shipped to South Africa from around the world to build the structure. We are aware of our carbon footprint on the planet, and this has meant finding creative solutions to keep the old shipping containers out of the waste dumps.”

Conceived and designed by Earthworld Architects, the eight-container structure comprises a showroom upstairs for the Sprada, Franke and Espresto coffee machine brands that Foghound represents locally, and an 80-seater coffee shop and café, complete with European-style counter seating and an outdoor courtyard, downstairs.

Leading to the showroom, sales offices and boardroom on the first floor is a striking glassed-in staircase with stairs made of reclaimed Oregon pine – a talking point in itself. As is the fully plumbed toilet space constructed from a vertically placed container and serviced with solar-heated water.

Braam de Villiers from Earthworld Architects says the containers were placed in such a way as to minimise having to cut them up. “The two containers that form the showroom on the first floor are placed and cantilevered from the ground-floor containers to form the coffee shop below. Clerestory windows fill the gaps between the two first-storey containers and allow in sunlight.”

In order for the containers to be perceived as the heroes of the structure, the interior finishing was kept to a minimum. “The materials were carefully chosen to create an ambiance that matches the functionality of the two spaces,” says Braam. The coffee shop has a raw concrete floor and a reclaimed timber ceiling, whereas the coffee-machine showroom and offices upstairs feature laser-cut steel and clean lines for a streamlined, high-tech look.

Structural detail aside, it is Neil’s deep love of quirky collectables – a passion he indulges by travelling the world in search of pieces that capture his imagination – that give the coffee shop its distinctive character. “The coffee bar in the studio building is a 1960s Boeing 747 engine cowl. It’s a work of art!” exclaims Neil.

And the chairs are all reclaimed, many from France. Old drive-in-theatre speakers form the sound system and patrons can adjust the volume to their liking by twisting the knobs on the speakers at each table.

“I’m an antique collector and a lover of all things retro and collectable,” says Neil. “This theme runs through the café. I have 20 people a day just walking in from Gallagher Estate and asking to see the space and find out more about it. The way I see it, container buildings might just be the way of the future. Maybe we’ve started a new trend.”

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The Power Of Colour & Texture exhibition is an official World Design Capital 2014 project created by the Cécile & Boyd Foundation, forming part of this year’s 11-day Open Design Cape Town event (Read More).

The foundation took an old container and upcycled it into a transformative space where disadvantaged children can be creative, feel inspired by their surroundings and play with colour, patterns and textures.

With a combination of repurposed furniture (including ordinary plastic chairs that have been covered in clever and colourful felt), Pedersen + Lennard tables and a strong focus on natural elements, the space couldn’t be more inviting.

If you’d like to see and experience the container during the course of Cape Town’s Open Design festival, you’ll find it on the pavement outside City Hall until 23 August 2014.

For more information, visit opendesignct.com or cecileandboyds.com/foundation.

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Joburg-based Architects of Justice, the designers responsible for reinventing the school library, have been chosen to show their work at the prestigious Young Architects in Africa exhibition at the Venice Biennale.

When funds dried up for a “grand” library at a Jozi township school, it was an opportunity for Architects of Justice to swoop in with a playful shipping container solution.

It could almost have been a game. With Lego-like components, the use of playful, primary colours, and disregard for hurdles and obstacles that bordered on the child-like, two rectangular steel shipping containers were reinvented into a creative library space for children at a primary school in Alexandra.

Architects of Justice, based in Johannesburg, had originally been commissioned by non-profit creative agency MAL foundation to design a library “of international standards” for MC Weiler Primary School. But when funds for the “grand option” dried up, partners Kuba Granicki, Mike Rassmann and Alessio Lacovig, acutely aware that promises had been made to the children, went back to the drawing board.

While containers as a low-cost solution is not new, says Kuba, the group decided to “make a conscious shift away from dropping a container somewhere and cutting a window and door”. Instead, they grappled with how to fuel imaginations – how, with the use of colour, shape and light they could offer a stimulating, creative space for learners.

The ideas came blasting forth with options and solutions that pushed the boundaries: Put the containers at a 90-degree angle. Choose a bold, technicolour effect to create a vibrant, inviting exterior space instead of the low-maintenance face brick that would be cheaper – but also dull. Utilise the outside area around the containers to supplement the interior space. Push out the internal area by putting the glass outside the large window box to create more space and comfort. Play with tectonics, structure and form to rattle imaginations. Fabricate, don’t construct.

The bright red external staircase with its Lego block shapes and visible construction connect the bottom space with the top. The bottom container holds the books with long, thin windows located between the bookshelves. Its roof is used as an outdoor reading area, while a deck on the ground floor is used as a stage for school assemblies or performances. Kids can lounge around reading books on the huge window seat – painted in primary yellow and large enough to let in natural light. The upper container, painted in green and grey, is for reading and has study rooms as well as outdoor reading spaces. Ceilings are trimmed with low energy LED strip lighting.

They called it the SEED – metaphorically for the “germination of knowledge”, and literally for “Supplementary Extended Education Device”. And it took only four months to construct. What’s more, this award-winning project (a silver at the Loeries, a Gauteng Institute for Architects Merit Award last year and shortlisted for the Corobrick South African Institute of Architects awards of merit and for excellence) has the added benefit of it being a prototype that can be rolled out at other SA schools.

While this is imagined as a semi-permanent solution until funds can be raised for the grand library, “the kids are really enjoying it,” says headmaster Gumani Mukatuni. “It’s user-friendly and fun. I can’t yet imagine the impact it will have, but we know it will be a huge one.” 

Containers for the win! Read more article about container architecture here.

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Designworkshop:SA shows that the possibilities presented by the container are almost endless and can completely transform the dynamic of city living.

Container concept

Designworkshop:SA wanted to showcase the versatility of the container as a building material. It believes containers are as viable as traditional building materials and, what’s more, they do not have to be constructed from scratch, are easily transportable, affordable and modular, meaning they can be stacked on top of each other or adjoined in whichever way you please. The result: a container can be used for almost any imaginable structure.

Designworkshop:SA demonstrated the following ideas: the space inside an apartment block can be maximised by placing the staircase outside the building in adjoined containers; extra rooms can be added to apartments without taking up floor space, for example in the case of an extra lounge area; a swimming pool attached to the side of a building means the roof space can be used for another purpose; placing containers in public spaces, such as parks, and converting them into functional spaces, such as a games room or cinema, is an easy way to facilitate community interaction; and dormitory-style rooms can be created by stacking containers on top of each other on the roof of an apartment block. Other container alternatives include a greenhouse, a caravan, a garden delivery container and a recliner.

Company profile

Durban-based Designworkshop:SA functions under the leadership of Andrew Makin, Janina Masojada and Mark Horner, who aim to continuously build and maintain a team of the best possible people, and to add to their individual and shared knowledge and skills. Their design process does not begin with reference to form and shape, but rather with reference to activity – from the scale of the individual to that of the collective (a family, community or consumer group).

“We understand the dynamic of the collective and the universal. We then develop a strategy that will enable an appropriate design response to both necessity and luxury,” explains Andrew Makin.

031 303 5191, admin@designworkshop.co.za, designworkshopsa.com

See more VISI articles about container architecture here.

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By designing both an art gallery and a family home, Ink Design explored the vast possibilities of the container as a building material. 

Container concept

Ink Design wanted to showcase the versatility of the container by designing two spaces that are vastly different in both form and function. The company therefore designed a residential home and a public space – an art gallery. One of the main differences between the two is in the amount of floor area each one uses. Two 12m-long containers were used for the family home in comparison to the six 12m-long containers for the gallery.

When designing the residence, the main aim was to make maximum use of the limited available space. Much attention was paid to the finer details, which are more easily noticeable in a small space and can take the overall aesthetic appeal of the interior to a different level.

However, in the case of a larger public space, there is a greater emphasis on implementing larger features that make a bold statement. In the gallery, the laser-cut mild-steel plate featuring the word “Art” as a decorative element is a good example. When it comes to this type of creative space, it is also important to consider that the main decorative feature is the art. The design of the interior should therefore be a clean canvas against which artworks can be displayed at their best. Mild steel was the predominant material used in both structures as a way to embrace the industrial, contemporary look of the containers.

Company profile

Ink Design is a dynamic firm of committed professionals. The company specialises in such a wide variety of home and architectural services that it has often been called a one-stop-shop. Ink Design not only draws up the plans but can also decorate an interior with specially designed furniture. Services include: architecture; corporate, leisure, retail and residential interior design; space planning; turnkey design; building and project management; and the design and supply of furniture.

011 447 7641, george@inkdesignlab.co.za, www.inkdesignlab.co.za

See more VISI articles about container architecture here.

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Smit Architects chose to add on rather than build from scratch, thus demonstrating how to optimise a living space with the help of containers.

Container concept

Smit Architects wanted to highlight the functional aspect of containers, such as their transportability and adaptability. The team focused on the kitchen, the study and the bathroom, as the placement of these three functional spaces in containers makes them versatile: they can be adjoined to different areas in the house, and can even be moved outside – “eating in” could become “eating out” and an office could be moved to another part of the property. Often it is only once a house has been completed that we realise that certain aspects could have been altered, or, specific preferences may have been limited due to affordability considerations. Simply adding on a container transformed into a functional living space is a viable, easy way to address these issues. When cleverly combined with more traditional building materials, the industrial look of a container also adds to the aesthetic appeal of a home.

Company profile

Smit Architects is most recognised for its work in the residential architecture field. The company works closely with the University of the Free State and most projects are therefore conducted with an academic work ethic: understanding the natural surroundings of a specific project is the crucial first step. With this comes an understanding of the climate of the area, which dictates what natural resources could be used as building materials. In turn, this determines the best building method for the project. Smit Architects creates by using the landscape not only as a canvas, but also as palette and paintbrush.

051 436 4169, smitjd@sci.uovs.ac.za

See more VISI articles about container architecture here.

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Architect Hugh Fraser has fused together concrete and containers to create an interesting alternative to the traditional family home.

Container concept

The idea is to create a small living space and utilise every inch of it because, as seen internationally, the growing lack of space in cities will increase the prevalence of pigeon-hole living. The use of industrial materials, such as containers, for a residential space can become aesthetically monotonous, which is why it is crucial to personalise the space. Hugh has used two 6m containers for the bedrooms (one on its side and one on its end), and one 12m container for the living, dining and kitchen areas. This generated only about 55.7sqm, which is on par with South Africa’s new gated community developments. The trick is to design small spaces that work efficiently but don’t feel constricted. By punching holes into the containers for light, enclosing the containers with sliding doors and surrounding the house with pierced concrete walls, Hugh has explored his fascination with pierced coverings and the Islamic idea of geometric patterning.

Company profile

Hugh Fraser’s peers refer to him as a “globe-trekking architect”. He is famous for his pioneering work with concrete as a building material and the innovative way in which he has applied it to his designs. Although concrete is often regarded as a dull, pale material when still in its natural form, Hugh has shown that, when used creatively, it can even be applied as an artistic element. He is also a consultant for the Cement and Concrete Institute (C&CI) and has worked in conjunction with this non-profit organisation for many years. The C&CI was established to promote the interests of the Portland cement and construction industries.

011 315 0300, cnci.org.za

See more VISI articles about container architecture here.

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One quarter of the container used by Ellis & Associates Architects in the Waiting for Change project is buried in a rock face in the Bo-Kaap. The remainder cantilevers over the informal settlement below, perched marginally above the anticipated raised sea level caused by global warming. 

Container concept

The successful design of small spaces is achieved through simplicity. The Waiting for Change container has been divided across its length into three zones: sleep, wet core and living; and across its width into three zones: utility (dress, wash, eat, audio-visual), circulation, and a “working” wall (library, kitchen, sitting/sleeping). A glass shard is wedged into the body of the container to provide light – and a view – to the interior spaces. The base of the shard is an aquarium – a “live” floor – with a lid of glass.

Company profile

Haydn Ellis & Associates is a small design practice established in 2001 to focus on high-end single residential housing, although farms, corporate interiors, restaurants and boutique residential clusters have also been taken on as projects. “I don’t like the ‘look but don’t touch’ approach one sees everywhere these days because this is like a curse to residential architecture,” explains Haydn. “Even when you are dealing with second and third homes or holiday homes, you are dealing with family dynamics and a relationship between people and places. Success is ultimately the degree to which one is able to interpret a specific brief and deliver something at once appropriate and extraordinary.”

021 422 2824, ellisassociatesarchitects.com

See more VISI articles about container architecture here.

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26’10 South Architects created a DIY-home kit that can be built wherever a road or helicopter can take you – the inspiring Karoo landscape, for instance.  

Container concept

In order to create a four-bedroom, three-bathroom family home, two standard containers have been
combined with an additional roof and verandah. The inclusion of the roof and verandah in the plan, results in the creation of a loft on the second storey, and the open-plan verandah can be utilised in such a way that there is enough space for two lounge areas. The roof consists of a pre-cut and drilled timber and steel structure, with composite roof sheeting, and the walls are made from polycarbonate sheeting. For a green alternative: face the verandah north to admit winter sun and block summer sun, use solar collectors to heat water on the roof, use grey water from the shower to flush the toilet, and use ventilation fans in the verandah and two
wind-powered rotating vents on the roof instead of air-conditioning.

Company profile

26’10 South Architects was started by Thorsten Deckler and Anne Graupner in 2004. This award-winning practice, recently awarded the Daimler Chrysler Award for young South African Architects, specialises in all spheres of the South African environment. Their portfolio boasts a variety of residential, commercial, community and urban design projects. While both partners have worked and lectured internationally, they feel that the most appropriate solutions can be developed through observation of what can be found on their own doorstep. The team that worked on this project comprised: Thorsten Deckler, Anne Graupner, Eugene Cloete, Sue Groenewald and Carl Jacobz.

26’10 South Architects, 011 830 0220, thorsten@2610south.co.za, anne@2610south.co.za, 2610south.co.za

See more VISI articles about container architecture here.

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