Pop-Up Village for Haiti Made From 900 Shipping Containers

by Bridgette Meinhold

Haitian Canadian musician Luck Mervil is leading the charge to help rebuild Haiti with houses made from repurposed shipping containers. Mervil is behind the Montreal organization Vilaj Vilaj, which wants to use 900 shipping containers to build an entirely new village west of Port-au-Prince fit for 5,000 people. The organization aims to build sustainable and long-term housing in Haiti — and eventually elsewhere — with the help of local Haitians.

    

Mervil, who has put his own career aside to work on this important project, expects the entire community to cost around $25 million and has been ardently working to raise the funds. The new village will be built on a parcel of previously uninhabited land near Leogane, a coastal city west of Port-au-Prince. A prototype shipping container house was built in Canada in 10 days for between $8,000 and $10,000, and Mervil expects the costs to be much lower in Haiti.
The village will consist of a series of 900 shipping containers grouped together in a grid and separated by open space, parks, and playing fields. Both 40 and 20-foot containers will be used to construct durable, long-term and hurricane and earthquake resistant homes. Each home will offer roughly 320 sq feet of living space with running water and bathrooms. The village will also be self-sufficient, with space for companies to set up shop so that villagers can work and support themselves.

 

More Shipping Containers!!!!!!

Breathtaking Shipping Container Studio in San Antonio

We’re green with envy over this beautiful shipping container studio in San Antonio designed by Texas architect Jim Poteet. Painted a deep blue, the 40′ shipping container was transformed into a gorgeous backyard retreat, complete with a living green roof, composting toilet, rainwater collection and eco friendly finishes. The studio retreat also features floor-to-ceiling windows cut out of the container, blown-in insulation, and bamboo floors and walls. Dwell has the full scoop on the container as well as a ton of gorgeous pictures.

Fun PreFab Gym Built from Containers in Just Three Days!

by Andrew Michler

The students of the Dunraven School located in South London are enjoying a huge new prefab gym that took only three days to erect! Designed by architecture firm Scabal as the world’s first gym of its kind, the team of designers carefully chose materials that would provide for a fun and bright environment for the school children to enjoy. And best of all, the school reduced overall costs by a third opting to go prefab over a traditional facility built-on-site. But don’t think being budget conscious came at a cost to the overall program — this dynamic eco-friendly design easily provides for twice the engagement.

The bright building uses a wall of containers to hold changing rooms, storage and offices, while at the core of the box arrangement is a spacious gym floor for the kids to get some serious physical education done. While a stacked arrangement of containers could give way to a behemoth of a building, by using four primary colors, lots of light, and fun details like zigzag cutouts for observation deck, Sacbel easily broke the mass down to a more manageable level that also inspires fun.

The 8,200 square meter building uses a number of green materials, including reused shipping containers and walls of translucent polycarbonate (what is used in green houses) to allow light to pour into the space. The school has a tradition of green building, and the gym is no different, even employing a  rainwater collection system for the campus-wide reclaimed water system.

Recycled Dumpster Pools Unveiled in NYC this Weekend!

by Ariel Schwartz

Would you ever go dumpster diving? A whole lot of New York City residents did this weekend, as the city unveiled three unused dumpsters converted into small swimming pools as part of the third annual Summer Streets festival! The dumpster pools were laid out on Park Avenue this weekend for approximately 450 eager swimmers to enjoy.

 

Designed by Macro-Sea, each 50,000-pound pool features a layer of felt below 4,600 pounds of chlorinated water. The 8-by-22 pools are slightly on the small side — they only fit 10 people at a time and aren’t deep enough for diving — but they’re good for soaking.
We’d love to see more of these pop-up pools in places that don’t have the space or cash for full-sized versions. Because sometimes it’s just so hot that you’ll swim anywhere — even in a dumpster.

 

 

Shipping Container Pavilion Springs up in San Francisco Presidio

by Moe Beitiks

Here on Inhabitat we’ve brought you shipping containers arranged as homes, schools, observatories, and stacks of glory. While you may say you’ve seen every arrangement there is to be had, we say you need to check out this container trifecta by Ogrydziak/Prillinger Architects! Besides boasting the usual specs incorporating recycled materials, this award-winning angular building comes complete with a collection of art-homes made just for the local flora and fauna. An incredible forward-thinking exhibition pavilion built for Presidio Habitats in San Francisco, this design has just received a 2010 Design Award from the American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC). Read ahead to learn more about this site-specific project and the local wildlife it supports.

The Presidio is an army-base turned national park located within the San Francisco city limits. The park hosts a thriving, and in some cases, endangered collection of native flora and fauna. The For-Site Foundation invited a series of artists into the park to create installations that would be able to host its native neighbors. Design challenges included creating a race challenge for the elusive Black-tailed Jackrabbit, a series of ceramic nests for the Western Screech Owl, and a few bright yellow perches for humans from which they could view the Great Blue Heron. But these were only some of the proposed projects for Presidio Habitats, and the overall exhibition pavilion displays a number of other ideas from well known eco-designers such as Amy Franceschini to Michelle Kaufmann.
The site itself is aligned along the northern San Francisco coast framing a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and catching the maximum amount of natural light. The deck, flooring and outdoor seating have been made from surplus Presidio Cypress, harvested onsite through a reforestation program. The entire structure was built off-site and put into place with a crane to reduce impact . Visitors can watch exhibition videos and learn a little bit more about their native neighbors until 2011, when the exhibition closes.

 

Shipping Containers

Deceiving Shipping Container Home That Doesn’t Look Like One

by Bridgette Meinhold

 

 

If we hadn't told you this was a shipping container house, would you have known?? With a contemporary classic style, regular-looking facade and huge light-filled windows, this lovely home in Richmond, California, designed by Leger Wanaselja Architects, is a great example of the beautiful work that can done with shipping containers. You may like the industrial look of the container, but if you're into a more traditional look, this is the house for you! Check out the interior shots of this deceiving home - they give you a really good idea of the available space.

 

Built out of three insulated shipping containers and stacked on two levels with a two-story atrium in the middle, this home packs a lot into a small footprint. Coming in at only 1,350 sq feet, the home has three good sized bedrooms, and a large open living room which connects into the long kitchen and dining room. Two 40′ containers are stacked on top of each other serving as the master bedroom on top and a kitchen/dining area on the ground floor. The other container is cut in half and stacked to create two more bedrooms. Between the stacks is a large two story living area with floor to ceiling windows and a staircase and bridge to connect to the rooms upstairs.
Solar passively designed, deep roof eaves were used to protect from summer solar gain and operable windows were used to maximize ventilation. As the containers are already insulated, they act as weatherproof exterior siding, insulation, and structural frame. Insulation was only needed in the roof and flooring and framing was only done on interior walls and for the windows. Additional green features include the use of low VOC paints, a 100% wool carpet, bamboo flooring, a 50% flyash concrete foundation, blown-in cellulose insulation, stacked plumbing, roof rainwater collection, high efficiency lighting, solatubes, and a ton more green features.

Shipping Containers Used for Employee Housing In Dubai Desert

by Bridgette Meinhold

In the world of green architecture and affordable housing, shipping container homes are often considered to be practical, cost-effective and even environmentally-friendly. In Dubai, however, the prospect seems a bit dubious. Gulf News reported today on a contracting firm in Dubai that has built housing for workers out of shipping containers, which can become unbearably hot in desert environments if they aren’t properly insulated. On the other hand, the containers probably didn’t cost that much, can be easily relocated to the next job, they can withstand sand storms, and the contracting firm says that the containers have sufficient insulation against the scorching desert sun.

Dubai-based construction firm Alsahel Contracting Company LLC (ACC) noticed its employees had to drive long distances to and from the job site each day and were coming to work tired. To combat this, they built employee housing from 40′ shipping containers that house 8 people each, with two separate rooms on either side outfitted with bunk beds. The containers are also equipped with an air conditioner per side, exhaust fans, and “decoration wood”, which is meant to help insulate the container. In the hot desert, the metal containers are likely to soak up a lot of heat, although they are better suited to withstand sand storms than wood cabins, which are more likely to degrade.
The Gulf News article seems to insinuate that the workers are being mistreated by being housed in shipping containers, although it is never blatantly said. Granted, these containers are certainly not luxury condos — but they do seem to provide adequate housing for a temporary workforce. The construction firm says that the containers are safe and have governmental approval and they have tried to make them look respectable. What do you think — does the Gulf News article raise a red flag or is this a cool use of shipping containers?

Solar Powered Shipping Container is a Pop-Up Prefab Party

by Andrew Michler

Planning a party? You might want to check out Boxman Studio’s solar-powered party venue, which comes conveniently packed into a pop-up shipping container. The innovative system that takes just 20 minutes to set up but creates a classy place to enjoy a party. Unlike tents, the container is quick, lower impact, and much more durable, plus it’s about the hippest way to green your summer shindigs.

 

Check out these party digs- seating for 26 folks, a full bar, solar powered plug-ins for a TV, fridge, karaoke, lava lamps, whatever. The container walls fold down to create a covered 500 square-foot bamboo floor. Place several panels next to each other and you have a huge dance floor. They are happy to customize individual units for different needs.
Boxman Studio dutifully notes that energy to recycle the steel container is 4000 kWhrs, while the conversion of a container is 200 kWhrs. That is a powerful example on how sustainable reuse can be. Tents are notorious for getting shredded in a season or two, and they can be tough to set up on hard surfaces – the Boxman Studio’s sturdy containers can keep the party going.

 

Container Cafe is a View Tube on the Olympic Site

by Bonnie Alter

Images by B. Alter

Called the View Tube, this stunning cafe is made out of lime green recycled shipping containers. Perched on a hill overlooking the site of the London 2012 Olympics, it is a cafe, a look-out and a gallery space.
It is also much more: a social enterprise, serving as a focal point for the arts, environmental classes, local artists as well as an education centre for the community.

The design is ingenious. Created by Urban Space Management, it is two storeys high, with the ground floor serving as a delicious cafe. It was built in 3 months off-site: the used containers are from China, they were cleaned, fitted and then it took two days to crane them onto the site. It will stay there until 2013 at least.
The structure is completely recycled. There is motion sensor controlled lighting, and low energy light bulbs, solar controlled glass and weather compensation controlled heating.
This is the 40th container structure made by Container City in the last ten years. Their first, Trinity Buoy Wharf, was inspired by the need for low-cost artists' housing. And they have gone from strength to strength since then; including classrooms, community centres and farmers' markets.

Inside there are tables and a sofa, and lots of tables and chairs outside too for the good weather. The food is simple and genuine, with that of local producers on the menu, such as the famous smoked salmon made in the vicinity.

Upstairs is a large class room and a wonderful observation gallery. From there, the development of the whole site is visible--a forest of busy cranes, trucks and workmen.
The View Tube is a social enterprise. There is a range of teaching programmes for primary and secondary schools led by London Wildlife Trust and Field Studies Council.
Bikeworks offers guided bicycle tours of the area and the neighbouring park as well as straight rentals. It won the award for best new social enterprise in the UK in 2009. In addition to promoting the environment by their tours, they recycle and refurbish second hand bikes, provide free training to get more people riding bicycles safely and create training and employment opportunities in the cycling business for disadvantaged communities.

The gallery is a series of containers placed side by side. At night shutters pull down, just like in a store front, to keep it safe and protected. This is the venue for an ongoing series of exhibitions by local artists and community groups.

Image by ben barbour
Right now there is a collaboration of local London-based artists working in response to the Olympic Park construction site. Called Views from the Edge, it is the work of six artists and their view of the site.

Shipping Container Housing/ Building

Prefab Housing Pyramid Puts Students in a (Container) Box

by Jorge Chapa

From its modular modern design to its shipping container components, Olgga’s student housing complex struck us as a pitch perfect project for prefab friday. The French architecture firm designed the complex to be constructed from 100 repurposed shipping containers. Talk about putting your students in a box!

The project was developed for a contest promoted by the Centre régional des œuvres universitaires et scolaires (CROUS) of Haute Normandie (an administrator of student assistance in France. The contest challenged architects to explore creative designs for student housing complexes that utilize shipping containers, with the aim of creating the first such structure in the country.
Olgga came in second place with their design, which comprises 2,900 square meters and would cost around 4.5 million euros. Each container is a room for one student, complete with a study area, bathroom, and living room. For more amazing shipping container abodes, check out Flavorwire’s assortment here.
+ Olgga Architects

Beautiful Shipping Container Sunset Observatory Rises in South Korea

This beautiful sunset observatory made from recycled shipping containers was recently constructed in the harbor of Songdo New City in Incheon, South Korea. Designed and built by AnL Studio, “OceanScope” is a composed of five recycled containers, each one angled at a different height to provide 3 distinct views of the harbor.
             

Dominican Authorities Approve Container Cities For Haiti Housing Relief

Numerous disaster relief housing projects have been proposed to help in the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake last month, and while many of them seem workable, none (as of yet) will actually be implemented. But a new shipping container project designed by Richard Moreta and his team may change all that. Dominican Authorities just recently gave approval for Moreta’s “Container Cities” project, which utilizes a modular construction system along with recycled shipping containers, to be built in the Dominican Republic to supply housing for victims of the earthquake.
Read the rest of Dominican Authorities Approve Container Cities For Haiti Housing Relief

Stacked Shipping Container Medical Complex in Sudan

by Yuka Yoneda

You know how much we love shipping container architecture here at Inhabitat, and we get especially excited about buildings that contribute to the greater good of an area or community. Well, we couldn't have found a more shining example of that than this beautiful medical complex in Soba, Sudan. The breezy complex sits right near the Nile river around a courtyard of mango trees, and is constructed of discarded 90 ft x 20 ft containers taken right from the construction site of the adjacent Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery.

Designed by Italian firm, Tam Architecture, the idea for the complex was conceived when the architects noticed the leftover containers lying around the construction site and wanted to reuse them. Using them to provide the international staff of the cardiac center with a place to stay seemed like the perfect opportunity. The housing units are 20 sqm and consist of a bedroom, a bathroom and a small veranda on the court side. There is also a cafeteria which is made out of smaller 7 ft x 40 ft containers.
In addition to being fabricated out of shipping containers that were already at the site (no extra fuel costs or shipping emissions!), Tam took extra measures to make the complex energy-efficient. The containers are insulated with a layer system: 5 cm insulating panels on the inside and a second insulated roof and a bamboo brise soleil panel system on the outside, meaning that the sun’s rays never make contact with the containers. Solar panels supply hot water for the compound and an air conditioning system that utilizes photovoltaic panels and chilling machines has been tested for the complex.

InterModal Design Launches New Prefab Shipping Container Units

by Bridgette Meinhold

Although modular by design, shipping container architecture have mostly been executed by individuals or firms on a case by case basis. Now, InterModal Design, a subsidiary of Hive Modular, is changing the game with their newly launched line of prefab shipping container living units that you can order and have shipped right to you. The dwelling comes complete with a kitchen, living area that transforms into a bedroom and (in some units) a bathroom. The interiors are fairly spartan, but the intention is for these units to be affordable and capable of shipping anywhere.

InterModal Design was started after the co-founder of Hive Modular, Paul Stankey, built a shipping container cabin in Northern Minnesota for his family. After the success of their project, they felt confident they could provide a similar service to others looking for affordable and strong living units made from shipping containers.
There are currently six different designs available already – from basic 20 foot containers with the bare necessities to double wide container houses with two rooms. The current line focuses on auxiliary structures, but the design team is capable of drawing up more complicated structures with higher end finishings. As they say, “with shipping containers, the sky is the limit.” Check out their website for more details about their designs and contact them for a sheet on pricing.

Shipping Container Cities to Shelter 2 Million Haitians From Hurricanes

by Bridgette Meinhold

There's been a lot of disasters this year, but the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake has left the country in a dire state and with hurricane season approaching, 2 million people are without adequate shelter and living in tents. Relief in the form of shipping container housing is in progress, but help is still needed. Richard Moreta and his team, Green Container International Aid, who we covered back in February, have been working on securing a large number of used shipping containers for use in their Container Cities. Moreta recently sent us an email asking for support for the people of Haiti -- specifically he needs help amplifying his message to authorities, those in power or with business connections to donate shipping containers and help save lives. Please read on and spread the word!

 

Moreta and his team, Green Container International Aid, have been working non-stop to begin construction on their Container Cities. A pilot project has already begun in Jacmel, which lies along the Caribbean Sea, in the Southern part of Port-Au-Prince. They will start building emergency shelters as soon as they start receiving shipping containers, which can be quickly retrofitted into durable structures that can withstand the hurricane season. These basic structures will include new exterior paint, plywood floors, a Green Roof (geo-textile fabric, gravel layers, humus, vegetation), fabric covers over the top to protect them from the sun and collect rain water, a screen panel at the entry doors of the containers to provide for mosquito protection, and a foundation. After enough shelters have been provided for the victims, the homes can be further built-out and made more habitable.
Richard Moreta has recently been down to Haiti trying to secure shipping containers, determine the best ways to utilize them, and prioritize their efforts. The situation, as Moreta told us, is not good. Right now there are 2 million people living in tent camps, and when hurricane season starts in June, they will have no protection. Experts are predicting that a major hurricane landfall in Haiti is likely this coming season due to a weakening of El Niño, so hurricane-resistant shelters need to be constructed NOW in order to secure the safety of Haiti’s disaster-stricken population. On top of that, many Haitians are now terrified of concrete buildings, and many do not want to be inside for fear that another earthquake will demolish it with them inside. Seismologists also fear that those cracked buildings will not be able to withstand hurricane strength winds.

This is a call for help. Moreta and his team are asking for a MASSIVE DONATION of shipping containers from around the world to be shipped to Haiti. Hapag-Lloyd, the biggest container company in the world, has already donated 5 shipping containers to their efforts, but many more are needed. This is where we start the revolution and spread the word. If Betty White can get on Saturday Night Live through a Facebook group, then surely we can get other major companies (like Costco, Home Deport, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) to donate containers and have them shipped to Haiti. There are only 2 MONTHS left before the start of the hurricane season. The Green Container International Aid team has a solution in place, but they don’t have the containers. If you want to help the people of Haiti, spread the word, visit the GCIA Facebook page and help them in their quest to acquire containers!

Gorgeous Shipping Container Art Studio in New York

by Bridgette Meinhold

Wow! We knew that shipping containers could be used to build beautiful buildings, but this art studio by MB Architecture in Amagansett, New York is truly gorgeous. The artist had a limited budget of $60,000 to work with and wanted something close to home that was both functional as a working space, but would also be inviting and reflective. The exterior is kept very simply as the shipping container, but painted gray for a sophisticated look and a way to blend the container into the wooded environment. Inside, bright white walls act as a blank canvas for new artwork and ample daylighting streams in through the large windows on either end.

   

 

The foundation for the studio is built into the earth with 9′ walls and acts as the lower level and work space for the studio. Two 40′ (9′6″) high cube shipping containers were then set on top of the foundation to create a two-story double wide structure. About 75% of the floors of the containers were cut away to create the tall ceilings with lots of natural light flooding in from the high windows.
Next to the painting area on the lower floor is a large storage area and directly above on the top floor is another work area. The container wide staircase acts as a transitional and gallery space for artwork. Each of the two containers cost about $2,500 delivered. An amazing example of how beautiful shipping container architecture can be.