scottish artist david mach has unveiled designs for his first ever building – a new arts, events and conference venue made out of more than 30 shipping containers arranged in a sculptural form. the unique multi-purpose building named ‘mach 1’, will act as the marketing suite for the 43 acre edinburgh park development masterplanned by stirling prize-nominated architects dixon jones.

david mach designs sculptural building made from 30 shipping containers

images courtesy of dixon jones

 

 

resembling a collapsed jenga set, the building’s dramatic shape will be 50ft tall at its highest point and was intended to make a statement that would to draw attention to the new quarter. the venue includes a large double height gallery space, which will exhibit a full site model, detailed building models, illustrations and information boards as well as audio-visual displays of edinburgh park itself.

 

edinburgh park is planned to be a 43-acre urban quarter west of the city of edinburgh, the largest single-site development currently underway in the city. it is currently in the planning stages, with mach 1 itself having recently been submitted for planning. the building, which will have around 3500 sq ft of floor space, could open by the spring of next year if planning permission is secured for a vacant site next to the edinburgh park central tram stop.

david mach designs sculptural mixed-use venue using 30 shipping containers

image via architects journal

 

‘there is quite a dramatic shape to the building. it will be something that you really notice. it is a building that really makes a statement about itself. it will be painted one colour, possibly with a reference to that great forth bridge red,’ said david mach in an interview with the architects journal.

 

‘it is a building with a promise of a life in other ways – as a festival fringe venue, a great place for comedy, for music, for talks. the look of the building is the important thing to me as a sculptor and now as an accidental architect.’

 

project info

 

architects: dixon jones

artist: david mach

location: edinburgh, scotland, UK

development: edinburgh park