According to the mission statement of The Noah Nothing Caring and Teaching House, the facility “seeks to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children with a center that provides food, tutoring, and other services so that those who are hurting can become fully functioning members of society”.
Because of the modest budget and a desire to build in a sustainable way, reclaimed shipping containers are used as the main components of the structure. Other environmentally friendly features include, Thermablok aerogel insulation that minimizes thermal bridging through the wood stud walls and a white TPO single ply roof that reflects much of the insolation reducing the cooling load. Cooling loads are further reduced by partitioning the space with sliding doors so that only half of the indoor space is conditioned on an ordinary basis while the multi-use space and kitchen are only conditioned when activities take place there. The shipping containers are painted with reflective white paint to reduce cooling loads. SIP on container roofs provide R-20 insulation and acoustic insulation. A continuous strip of clerestory windowsr provde daylight for the interior spaces. Locally produced lumber is used for framing and local cypress siding is used on the exterior walls and soffits. Concrete is conserved by utilizing the container floors and placing them over a gravel crawl space.
The program consists of a pantry area for canned and frozen foods, a computer room, a small kitchen, a lobby/reception area, a small meeting rm., and a flexible multi- use space. The containers, arranged in a pin wheel pattern, cradle the multi- use space, with its 12’ high ceiling and clerestory on the south and west. The containers also frame a protected outdoor space that flows uninterruptedly from the multi- use space out to two grand pecan trees whose enormous nurturing canopies provide shade for the outdoor space and the building.
An 8 H x 12W panel slides from the front of the west side container across the main entry to signify that the building is open or closed. The distinctive roof seems to float above the containers and cantilevers a full 15’ over the entry porch which has a bench for people to sit and talk with friends. A natural wood soffit slopes up from the entry toward the pedestrian street as a warm gesture of welcome to the community.
2008
2010
Building Area: 2000 sf
Structure: Shipping Containers, wood stud walls, wood trusses, concrete slab, crawl space (under containers), SIP on container roofs.
Structural Design Criteria: 120 mph wind load
Insulation: walls r-13-r20, roof r-38 (multi-use space) r-20 (container roof)
Ceiling heights- Multi-use space-12ft, Containers- 9ft.
Design and Construction Team: The students of the University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Designs Design/Build program.
Architect: Stanley Russell
Structural Engineer: Hees and Associates
Civil Engineer: Aurora Civil Engineering
Roofing: Prattco roofing and sheet metal
Concrete: Florida Rock Industries
Windows: Jacobson Windows
Containers: AA American Containers
Zoning and code coordination: City of Tampa
Equipment: United Rental
Steel reinforcing: Gerdeau Ameristeel
SIP: Permatherm
Lighting: Tampa Bay Lighting
