A look at a residential building made from 140 shipping containers in Johannesburg

Drivelines Studios is located on an awkward triangular site in Johannesburg (the city also hosts container-based student accommodation) and consists of two distinct parts arranged in a roughly V-shape, with a courtyard area including pool and garden at the center.

“Embracing the triangular geometry of the site, Drivelines Studios is conceived as a billboard where two separate volumes of residential units are hinged at the narrow east end of the lot, framing the social space of the open interior courtyard,” says Lot-ek. “As in a billboard, the building outer facades are straight and flush with the lot line while the facades in the inner courtyard are articulated by the staircases, the elevator tower and the bridges connecting all levels, and by the open circulation paths activated by the units spillover onto their outdoor space.”

The 140 shipping containers used were selected by color and left unpainted. They were then stacked securely, modified on site, and had insulation installed to mitigate their poor thermal performance. Lot-ek also added operable windows to promote natural ventilation, while a staircase framework and elevators were added to allow easy access to each of the seven floors.

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