Atelier Riri devised creative ways to make living inside a shipping container in Indonesia’s tropical climate both comfortable and economical. The architects layered recycled pine, glass wool, and planter mesh on top of the home to help keep temperatures down.
For a site southeast of Jakarta, a young Indonesian couple asked eco-minded firm Atelier Riri to design a fun, contemporary home with designated spaces for their two kids to exercise their creativity. The project’s modest budget (approximately $55,000) led the architects to use shipping containers—a bold move given the region’s sweltering climate. “By concentrating on humidity and temperature control, we found economical ways to facilitate a comfortable environment inside a metal box,” says the firm’s founder, Novriansyah Yakub. His team crisscrossed four containers Lincoln Log-style and added shutters, windows, and sliding doors to create a cross-ventilation system. Layers of recycled pine, glass wool, and planter mesh on top of the containers further decrease temperature. Cost-effective elements continue inside the three-bedroom home, including custom wood furnishings and polished concrete floors. A roof garden equipped for rainwater harvesting connects to the residence’s crown jewel: a bright red game room, now chock-full of toys.
