There are 30 million empty shipping containers in the world, and during the recent crisis in Haiti, one of the options considered for emergency housing was to put some of them to use as temporary housing. Reviewing the plan, Treehugger concluded that the idea would ’cause tragic consequences for generations to come.’ But whilst they may be considered inadequate for those in Haiti, French firm Olgga Architectes believe they will do just fine for student accommodation, proposing a building made up of 100 containers.
Projects proposing innovative reuse of shipping containers are happening all over the world, including at George Mason University in Washington DC. 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 states:
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.
Over 90% of all non-bulk cargo carried worldwide gets transported in shipping containers. However, even shipping containers being used for their originally-intended purpose are being used inefficiently, with most being sent back empty. That’s thousands of boxes of air being transported across the globe on CO2-emitting boats.
It was this flaw that inspired Cargoshell, proclaimed by its Dutch creators as ‘The Greatest Container Innovation Since 1957’. This standard-sized shipping container collapses to one-quarter of its size when empty, resulting in more empty containers on boats, fewer trips and reduced carbon emissions. Made from composite materials instead of steel, the Cargoshell also weighs 25% less than a standard shipping container. Because of its collapsible design, the door rolls upwards instead of opening outwards, meaning containers can be stacked closer together, increasing capacity and further improving environmental efficiency. According to the Cargoshell website:
If all steel containers will be replaced by Cargoshells, the amount of transport kilometers will decrease by 75%. In the area of the Port of Rotterdam alone, this will result in reduction of 10,000 transportations on a yearly base. This means 250 trucks less on the road during rush hours every day.
And these environmental benefits also translate into financial savings, with less travel kilometers equalling less expense for shipping firms. However, despite all its innovations, environmental benefits, and potential financial savings, the Cargoshell doesn’t make complete business sense. At around three times the cost of a standard shipping container, and in an industry that has seen little innovation ‘since 1957’, it may struggle to achieve mass adoption.
By reusing shipping containers, Phoenix-based design firm Upcycle Living have created a modular housing system which costs 2/3 less than a traditionally built home. Their 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom model is made up of four 40-foot shipping containers, and contains 1,280 square feet of space. Sustainability is a key factor in the design, with recycled flooring, bamboo cabinets, and energy efficient appliances. More advanced environmental features, such as solar panelling, will be introduced in later models.
Though suitable for mass housing and having already received some private orders, their primary focus is the provision of temporary buildings in disaster zones, and one off public buildings, like their proposed press box and locker room at Grand Canyon University.
Pop-up businesses have also become a common sight in shipping containers. Real estate developers Hammerson and Ballymore, along with Boxfresh and Brands Incorporated founder Roger Wade are hoping to take this to another level with their east London development – Boxpark. Made from refitted shipping containers and located in Shoreditch – an area of London synonymous with fashion and creativity – this ‘retail revolution’ will make use of a stretch of land running alongside London’s new overground line, which was unused both during the construction of the line and in the months since its opening.
There will also be no high street retailers within the space, something which forms part of the developer’s plans to integrate the project within the fabric of the local community. The two real estate developers involved in the Boxpark project have plans to eventually turn this patch of land into a mixed-use development, with up to 2,000 houses built alongside retail and office developments. However, if Londoners feel a real affinity to this development they may struggle to achieve this goal. As seen with the London Eye, temporary urban developments in this city can sometimes stick around a bit longer than intended.
Photo: Sergio Souza
