The new JVAZCO Headquarters stands on a 1,392 sqm corner lot near the company's old office-showroom, bounded on two sides by EDSA and South Road. The brief called for a building that functions as an office, showroom and venue for events using the company's materials and nine 40ft shipping containers as the main building blocks.
Using cardboard models to configure the shape, our team came up with a solution that addresses the site, context and client requirements. The containers were organized according to function and spatial inter-relationship needs, arranging the blocks in a square configuration resulting in an opening in its center. The tallest stacked layers were positioned along the northeastern and northwestern quadrants, acting as a protective buffer against the busy EDSA Highway and harsh western sun. Zones are separated by levels, with the ground floor accessible to guests and the higher floors for private work spaces. The internal areas will display the company's various shades of polished concrete floors, while the walls and ceilings will use warmer materials like wood to balance the composition. Access to the building is on the South Road for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and another on the EDSA side. Both are marked by passageways leading to the inner courtyard. Surrounded by the containers, this multifunctional outdoor space can hold company affairs like product launches, talks and small exhibitions. This central courtyard also serves as a breathing space for circulation to the confined interiors — a visual center where movement and views are concentrated. The building footprint is rotated sixty degrees to the north to further increase its prominence at street level, at the same time providing the courtyard shade from the afternoon sun.
The pattern of the façade is an interplay of RECKLI's fluted and textured precast concrete cladding. It is used substantially to wrap the container blocks, functioning as an architectural armor protecting them from the elements and concealing the insulation and piping, while visually enhancing the staggered, playful arrangement. Additionally, exterior walkways that double as canopies, merged with triangular and cylindrical stairways, complete the building's geometric composition.
Text: jagnusdesignstudio
Fotos: jagnusdesignstudio
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