jun murata turns shipping container into meditative gallery + artist's residence in beijing

jun murata /JAM has transformed a shipping container into ‘meditation space for creation’, an 80 sqm gallery and artist’s residence in the beijing xinzhuang arts village. within the colorful containers that make the art center’s building blocks, the 12m-long white volume titled the ‘tunnel’ invites guests inside a meditative space of light and reflections. a second, shorter container referred to as ‘closed space’ is connected to the outside of the main volume and houses a guest room.all images courtesy of jun murata /JAM

‘the humble shipping container is perfectly suited to the creation of art galleries: the long and narrow structure lends itself to a gallery layout, while the industrial look feels right at home in the world of contemporary art,’ says jun murata /JAM. initially created for beijing design week, ‘meditation space for creation’ comprises a narrow, linear container that connects to the outside world through the openings on its two ends. its pure white color, in combination with reflective materials, natural light and the surrounding greenery compose a serene environment the helps the human mind unwind.

light enters from the two rectangular openings of the container, sometimes stronger and other times softly poured inside the space. the all-white interior features a vertical light beam and a slit on the south wall, which together create a game of light and shadows. at one end of the volume, jun murata has created a water surface that reflects its surroundings, while the experience of the space differs according to the changing natural phenomena.

project info:

name: meditation space for creation

architect: jun murata /JAM

location: beijing, china

total area: 78 sqm