25 Jul Container studio images from finished model

Front view of Container Studio with courtyards

North view of Container Studio with courtyards

Rear view of Container Studio with courtyards

South view of Container Studio with courtyards

So, the modeling process for the new studio is wrapping up. Greg La Vardera is working on floor plans, elevations, and building sections so we can start the permitting process and seek financing for the building.

The courtyards off to each side are just roughed in in the drawings above… in the finished version, these will have insulated siding panels and probably some kind of shade roof similar to Sean Godsell’s FutureShack design (although I prefer a single slant like a shed roof). I’m thinking that the plan for the siding will be to use slate flooring over durock over foam insulation. Most of it will be a grid of black 12 inch slate, but some panels may be adaptations of designs from the Gee’s Bend quilts, done in stone. That would look insanely cool.

The four 20 foot containers in the courtyards will probably be used as guest bedrooms with very simple kitchen and bath fit-outs like a trailer or camper. The two 40 foot containers in the courtyards will be gallery space for hanging artwork. The courtyards will be the display space for sculpture. I’ll be making steel gates to close in the openings between the courtyard and the studio… I’m looking forward to that, because I can pretty much let myself go nuts with the gate designs and show off a bunch of ideas that have only been on paper till now.

Links to some of the materials we’re planning to use:

Bifold doors for the studio ground floor: We may get these from Bifold.com or they may be done custom. Jonkman’s doors were my first choice, but  their design conflicted with some of the other elements.

Second floor windows: An 8 foot by 24 foot span of glass gets real expensive, real quick. We’re planning to use double layered walls of PolyGal to glass in the second floor openings. These will let light in to the studio all day long, and have decent insulating value. The plan is to frame in the openings with steel studs and face both sides of the studs with PolyGal. There will also be a PolyGal wall on the inside, framing the studio in to keep fumes out of the rest of the building.

The roof of the container studio will be a self supporting steel span roof. It should arrive in about six pieces that can just be craned into place and bolted on. Still sourcing the manufacturer for this component.

The balconies will be made using pre-fab Mezzanine structures.

The flooring between the studio and the third floor residential are will ideally be made from pre-fab concrete panels. TMCP Building Systems has what looks like a very promising solution for this. It might be more expensive than pouring a floor, but if I can have six sections craned into place, bolted down and be done it might be worth it.

More details to come…