For this project, the architects took an unconventional approach to create a container modular home in the Hamptons. The “Amagansett Modular House” is not a traditional building, but consists of a series of converted containers. The team prefabricated a total of six of them and installed them on site in just two days. TheModules of the houseare located around an existing oak tree and are stacked in such a way that a living space of 1,800 square meters is created in the middle of the natural area.
The living space includes a total of four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a spacious living room. The facade is painted in black color and harmonizes perfectly with the forest surroundings. The generously glazed fronts loosen up the otherwise strict, minimalist look of the building volume and make the modern building look airy and light.At the same time the glazing leavesplenty of sunlight into the rooms and creates a seamless connection between the indoor and outdoor areas. The builders, a family with three children, had a limited budget and were open to using unconventional building materials and methods.
American architectural firm MB Architecture stacked shipping containers to complete this black vacation home in Amagansett, New York, in just a few days. As a compact container modular house, this is a 167 square meter weekend house. It is located on a small forest plot in the hamlet on the south coast of Long Island. To meet the clients' expectations for a retreat, the architects expanded the house with an additional container on the north side, which connects to the main double-height volume via a glazed walkway. There is also another container hanging on the second floor.
The architecture follows the natural contours of the wedge-shaped site: the building sits on a higher level at the wider eastern end of the site, while the outdoor terrace descends to the pool to the west. Large windows and glazed doors at both ends of the container create an indoor-outdoor living environment. These changes also respond to the sloping surface, which influenced the placement and orientation of the west-facing building. However, the size of the container modular house is deliberately compact in order to match the neighboring houses.
Minimalist design and spaciousness
The architects took advantage of the double-height space and created a wall of windows. They flooded the living area with daylight and framed the view to the west. At sunset, rays of light literally pass through the house. The sun-drenched living area is furnished with a vintage reed mat from the North African Tuareg tribe (bought at a flea market), a Toga sofa and a Saarinen table with red Tolix stools.
The designers wanted to create a comfortable, playful and fun interior for children and parents. This is how the open layout and geometric facade were created. These illustrate that such a container modular house can feel very spacious. The team also shortened a container to half its length and installed it on the second floor to accommodate the master bedroom. The separate bedroom wing has a comfortably designed bathroom.
Large windows in the upstairs bedrooms create the illusion of being immersed in the treetops. Thecustom-made furnitureround off the minimalist concept of the facility. The second floor structural design is unique. There are no beams underneath, but it is structured from above and restrained in tension to the foundation on the opposite side. So this is a kind of structural breakthrough where the architects have taken advantage of the inherent strength of the containers.
Quick implementation of the construction project
The technical part of the project took place off-site before the containers were transported and installed in two days. The kitchen cabinets, bathroom tiles and fixtures, glass walkway, landscape features and pool were added in the weeks following installation. The minimalist kitchen is equipped with worktops while the floors are bleached oak.
The quick and very efficient construction also helped to reduce costs. These ranged from $300 to $300 per square foot, excluding the landscaping features and pool. While this may be a very high number in New York State, for example, it is well below average for the location on the eastern end of Long Island, where construction can cost $500 to $800 per square foot. For this reason, construction costs depend on the region.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the project was how rarely the lead architect met with clients in person. The busy couple met with the architects a few times and only twice on site. This happened once when they first purchased the property and the second time when the house was almost finished. This arrangement was somewhat unusual for the practice, which is accustomed to recurring client meetings.
