container house

location: Sydney
project type: architectural competition
year: 2013

This award-winning project, created in collaboration with Przemysław Smalcerz, received an Honorable Mention in the international "AC-CA" competition. The design responds to the challenging location on the northern edge of picturesque Bondi Beach, situated within Ray O'Keefe National Park - an environment that simultaneously inspires creativity and raises concerns about disturbing the pristine landscape.

To meet the competition requirements, we found a solution that juxtaposes industrial shipping containers with the site's scenic surroundings. The ground floor features a transparent glass cube inspired by European modernism, deliberately blurring the boundary between interior and exterior. This open living area flows seamlessly onto a terrace with a swimming pool, creating an uninterrupted dialogue with the landscape.

The sleeping quarters, housed in a row of shipping containers clad in original corrugated metal, appear to float 3.5 meters above ground level, supported by a lightweight steel structure. This elevated volume creates the impression of a levitating upper floor, lending an unexpected lightness to the typically heavy industrial containers.