17 shipping containers make up this office building in Abuja by A.G. Ferrero

Located along the Kubwa Expressway, opposite Gwarimpa Housing Estate, in the Dawaki axis of Abuja, the Ferrero House sits as a modular office building constructed using 17 shipping containers.

The 160 sqm, 3 storey structure serves as the Abuja branch office for A.G. Ferrero, a local construction company with offices in Kaduna, Kano and Lagos. The office which was completed earlier this year, took only 6 months to build and was designed by an in-house team of Engr. Marco Di Canto (Project Manager) and Alessio Ferrario (Executive Director).

“the idea was birthed out of the urgent need for a branch office in the FCT, which could be rapidly developed yet unique and adequate”.

Alessio Ferrario, Executive Director, A.G. Ferrero & Co. Ltd in conversation with Burnt Brick Media

The layout of the office features a central courtyard around which the various functional spaces are planned. The ground floor features, a show room, sales office and storage. The first floor accommodates four, well-lit offices, a technical/design office and an archive room as well as open air terraces offering spaces for breaks and informal meetings. The second floor adds more office space as well as a large and central meeting room. The interiors are well insulated and finished with dry wall and laminate wood flooring.

“This is the first time we are doing a full building; all done with containers. We had done warehouses and small offices, but this is the first time we are doing a complete building that will serve as office; with containers.”

Engr. Marco Di Canto as reported by Daily Trust

The modular nature of shipping containers lends its many advantages to the structure of the Ferrero house. The office can be disassembled and transported to a different site should the need arise.

According to a report by Burnt Brick Media, Mr. Ferrario clarified that contrary to popular opinion, shipping container structures are not necessarily “low budget”, citing that the cost difference between executing their project using containers was minimal when compared to conventional brick and mortar but, the speed of construction and modular nature make up for it significantly.

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