2 Squirrel Park

Squirrel Park makes innovative use of modified shipping containers to create an affordable single-family home offering around 1,400sqft of living space. The unconventional interior layout contrasts with the modern, industrial exterior aesthetic of repurposed shipping containers. The unique nature of the site as a park-like environment has been enhanced through retention of existing mature trees, provision of outdoor spaces with new planting which is shared with its neighbours and the addition of green roof to assist energy efficiency and biodiversity. The mirrored strips on the container’s white-painted exterior reflect the sky and surrounding greenery, helping to create a dematerialised mass whilst also reducing heat gain from the harsh Oklahoma sun. Located at the transition between the typical residential fabric along 32nd Street and the commercial corridor along Classen Boulevard, the site is entered by a single entrance and carport shared with its three neighbours. This outdoor amenity space acts as a buffer to the commercial property to the west whilst also giving the project the idea of a residential community. The house is designed to encourage outdoor living as well as communal interaction amongst neighbouring residents on the wider site. There is a central gathering space whilst the house itself has a front facing porch swing and covered outdoor space to provide areas to relax and socialise with one’s neighbours. However, the house’s windows and orientation have been carefully controlled to provide privacy where needed as well as an ‘eyes on the street’ approach for safety. By reusing modular steel shipping containers, the design can be set above the ground on piles which preserves the natural drainage patterns of the site. The upper-floor container is shifted to cantilever 10 feet above the lower floor container creating a covered front porch as well as an upper-level deck off the master bedroom. The design also needed to respond to Oklahoma’s extreme climate - tornadoes, intense sun and heat. Therefore, not only are the containers reinforced with additional tube steel, but the lifting hubs are also fully welded to imbed plates in the footings. The resulting structure surpasses local residential building code tie-down requirements. Inside, metal stud framing is set 1 inch off from the steel shell and encased in 5 inches of closed-cell spray foam insulation, further isolating the interior environment. The extremely tight exterior envelope and high degree of insulation allow a significant reduction in tons of cooling when compared to a conventional wood framed single family home.