As the world’s population has now reached seven billion, space for housing is becoming scarce, and the amount of household junk collected by us is increasing, some innovative architects decided the combine the good with the useful.
According to some figures there are more than thirty million unused containers [1] piled up in ports all around the world as shipping companies or the owners don’t have the money to send them back to their origin. These containers however are great for accommodation – according to some creative experts.
‘Container housing’ can be a solution for disaster-stricken areas, as these ‘boxes’ resist strong winds and can be a safe shelter. [2] One of the flagship initiatives in this area is the SEED Project [1], by researchers of the Clemson University.
Some architects want to make containers more attractive for trendsetters and have come up with unique and stylish designs [3].
These containers have many advantages: besides being durable they are also ‘scalable’, cheap and easy to move.
In the Ukraine and in Kyrgyzstan there are already whole shopping malls developed from shipping containers, which could also serve as ideal offices spaces. [3]
Travelodge, for example, used 86 containers to build a hotel in Uxbridge, London [4], which looks just like a normal hotel made of bricks. The construction process was faster than normal and very cost-effective. Also, thanks to the interior decoration guests may not even notice that they are staying in a container. [5]
Re-cycling unused containers is a great way to save space and waste, and who wouldn’t want to live in some of these contemporary ‘flats’?
For more ideas on how to reduce your environmental impact, from recycling to renewable energy have a look around Energy Saving Warehouse.
[1] http://www.gizmag.com/seed-project-shipping-container-sustainable-emergency-housing/13902/
[2] http://www.epa.gov/ncer/events/news/2010/04_06_10_feature.html
[3] http://weburbanist.com/2008/05/26/cargo-container-homes-and-offices/
[4] http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/6683
[5] http://www.travelodge.co.uk/press_releases/press_release.php?id=323
