MICRO IN MACRO
by Candice Lim

Scale is a funny thing. A structure can seem larger-than-life or suddenly small when viewed in relation to one's built environment. Standing solo, a block of steel the size of a shipping container for instance seems dauntingly large but when holes are drilled in as windows and doors, it does not seem so mammoth anymore. And when placed in a public space surrounded by taller, more massive buildings, the container seems even smaller. The following two projects by Nest Architects explore the idea of micro structures in macro environments as creative contained spaces designed not only to fulfil commercial and exhibition purposes but are also architectural showcases in their own right with their own unique characteristics.

LITTLE RED PORTABLE SHOP
Reusing shipping containers in different ways to their original function is not a new concept. In fact, America is currently having such difficulty refilling the containers they receive from China, having so little to export, they are being forced into thinking up new ways to use the containers. Transformed containers have a way of creeping into a public space. They are unassuming objects; when they are transformed into a shop they do not scream "give us your money".

An unexpected object that lands temporarily in a public place, the Ship Shop provokes curiosity in the passer-by. When closed the container is a simple box but when it opens its doors and portholes, passers-by are encouraged to explore it. In this sense, it offers an element of fun. It activates its environment by appropriating the public space it lands in—unfolding and extending out into it, invoking an enthusiasm to investigate the curious object.

The idea of scale plays an interesting part in this project. A 20-feet container is a big object (2.5 metres wide x 6 metres long), but when it is put in a public space, it suddenly becomes really small. And when you tap a whole heap of square windows into the sides it becomes smaller still. On the flip side, when you close up the shop, and transport it, suddenly this small micro shop once again becomes a huge object requiring tilt trucks and fork lifts.

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