Whilst researching for yesterday’s blog post, it became clearer than ever that innovative reuse of shipping containers is happening all over the world, and George Mason University in Washington DC is a great example of this.

Students from the School of Art have spent the last year converting an unused shipping container into a carbon neutral gallery and community space. The project was initiated by tutor Tom Ashcraft, who claims:

The ContainerSpace project forces students to think about what the presence of the shipping container represents and how its use has dramatically changed global economics throughout the years. When the project is complete, the shipping container will challenge norms of the traditional gallery space with elements of sustainability, mobility and access.

Most shipping containers are made in North Korea and China, where there are very few regulations on which chemicals can be used during construction, so the first stage of the container’s refurbishment was to remove all interior wood and bolts. The floor was replaced with panelling made from recycled pallets, paint containing no damaging volatile organic compounds was chosen for the walls and ceiling, and skylights made from recycled glass were installed in the roof. Electricity is sourced from solar panels, made possible by a $2,500 grant from America’s Office of Sustainability.

Student Daniel Dean, who worked on the project, says:

As we complete the ContainerSpace project, we hope students use this as an opportunity to create new and innovative ways of utilizing a nontraditional object. In addition, we hope this project will serve as a model for the development and implementation of renewable energy technology for the larger community and expand the dialogue surrounding contemporary art.

Completed in December 2009, the shipping container now functions as a stand-alone, student-managed exhibition space. You can find out more on the official website, ContainerSpace.