Architect in residence

How to get that work-play balance right? Adding an over-sized container fitted out as an architecture studio to your backyard is one way

From the architects: Randy Bens Architect

Completed in the winter of 2016, this modified shipping container is our new office. The practice was formed in 2005 to focus on small, well-crafted buildings. After working in my home office with one staff member for many years, we decided to expand the practice (a little).

RBA office – dusk architecture, backyard, cottage, facade, home, house, property, real estate, shed, siding, window, white — RBA office – dusk

Lifestyle is important to me and my wife, so the decision was made to expand to the back yard rather than to a remote commercial space. The goal was to have the benefits of working from home, while having an independent space for staff, a place to conduct meetings with clients and contractors, and to simply have more room to do our work. The self sufficient building contains a kitchenette, washroom, printer / network cabinet and an open studio space. The small meeting space can be configured in a number of ways, and the table can join the desk for model making.

The over-sized corten steel shipping container has a architecture, backyard, daylighting, facade, home, house, property, real estate, residential area, shed, siding, white — The over-sized corten steel shipping container has a fresh timber-clad facade.

Rba Office – room to move ceiling, daylighting, floor, flooring, interior design, office, white — Rba Office – room to move

RBA office plan angle, architecture, area, design, diagram, drawing, elevation, floor plan, house, line, plan, product, property, schematic, structure, white — RBA office plan

We looked at several construction options and settled on an over-sized corten steel shipping container. These containers were designed for mining operations and are 40’ long, 11.5’ wide, and 9.5’ high. The inherent durability of the steel shell, and the ability to for us to take the structure with us when / if we relocate were two of the biggest benefits.

The Rba Office is unobtrusive within the street architecture, building, cloud, cottage, facade, home, house, property, real estate, residential area, roof, shed, siding, sky, wood, black — The Rba Office is unobtrusive within the street vernacular

Rba Office – window on work/play lifestyle architecture, backyard, cottage, facade, home, house, property, real estate, shed, siding, window, white — Rba Office – window on work/play lifestyle

The 350 sq ft building cantilevers over its new foundation, and pulls all the services from the old 1930’s house that shares the property. Water, sanitary, power, and data were trenched from the house to the base of the building. The container was fitted out in the supplier’s factory, and arrived on site 95% complete,

Cantilevered studio draws on the adjacent home's services. architecture, backyard, cottage, estate, facade, home, house, property, real estate, residential area, shed, yard, white — Cantilevered studio draws on the adjacent home's services.

The reaction to the project has been universal in the neighbourhood and from visitors - everyone loves it. There is something about small buildings that most people find appealing. It has turned out to be a pleasant place to work.