The American Institute of Architects Long Beach/South Bay Chapter, celebrates outstanding architecture through its Biennial Design Awards Program and last month, Peter DeMaria of DeMaria Design Assoc., picked up an AIA Excellence in Design Award.  Recognized for his shipping container based nomadic structure, the RED BULL FMX Digital Lounge/Data Center, DeMaria continues to push the exploration of cargo containers as a viable and sustainable building block.

The RED BULL project, initially set up in Lake Piru, CA, a wild fire prone area with dust/dirt proliferation and 100+ degree temperatures, is now bound for a new RED BULL training destination.

The project program required a rapidly deployed, mobile and fire resistant structure. Housing a data/digital center, an energy drink bar and a spot for the FMX professional freestyle motocross riders to chill out, the two 20’ long cargo containers create a collapsable 480 sq.ft. structure.

Designed for rugged terrain, the diamond plate aluminum floors, cement-fiber wall panels & ceramic insulating paint (same as on NASA's Space Shuttle) endure the non-forgiving micro-climate.

"It's kind of an odd moment...we've been fortunate to receive a coveted professional award for our Red Bull project, yet at the same instant, we're not sure where the building is," said a smiling DeMaria.  “The buidling is redeployed wherever the FMX Team rides.  Affordability, ease of transport, durability and cutting edge esthetics, make for a compelling argument when considering cargo container based retail and commercial satellite locations.”

DeMaria, a pioneer in this new building methodology, whose cargo container based design projects are world reknowned, summarizes, “Our work with Red Bull, Target Superstores and Hewlett Packard signals a shift - an acceptance of the container as a progressive and affordable construction option in the corporate world.”

DeMaria Design Assoc. is an innovative design firm, offering architecture, planning, product and interior design services along with General Contracting/Construction and Product Fabrication.  Located in Manhattan Beach, CA, the design studio’s work has been published and exhibited internationally with recent projects on display in Paris, Berlin, Ljubljana and Dusseldorf.