Ta prochaine maison pourrait être un conteneur d’expédition

Les boîtes en acier sont en train de devenir les nouveaux blocs de construction urbaine avec une particulière attention à stimuler l’achat des maisons à bon marché.

Un connu architect american qui s’appelle Price et son éponyme entreprise de design ont utilisé des conteneurs d’expédition longs 12 mètres, comme des géants blocs de Lego, pour construire trois complexes d’appartements à Washington D.C., qui est une ville où habituellement le prix moyen pou un studio est de 2,250 $, selon apartmentlist.com, et dans le classement Washington se trouve seulement après Boston, San Francisco et New York.

Les conteneurs d’expédition ont 2 mètres de largeur et 12 mètres de longueur, et donc chacun peut former un espace habitable de 28 mètre carré. Ils sont liés ensemble et peuvent former un notable espace habitable horizontal ou vertical.

Price est fermement convaincu que c’est un’idée géniale parce qu’il s’agit des nouveaux blocs de construction du 21ème siècle.

Toutefois comme il s’agit d’une nouveauté, elles ont un inconvénient,c’est- à-dire qu’elles sont vu comme des maisons mobiles et donc on se pose la question s’il vaut la peine de financer cet projet. En effet les maisons mobiles ou bien les maisons préfabriquées, à cause de son nom, beaucoup de banques ne vont pas prêter une hypothèque pour la construction d’une maison mobile, à moins que les roues sont éliminées, la maison se situe sur un fondement et les installations et la plomberie sont liées. L’architect Day a dit: “S’on se attache pas à une fondation permanente, il est difficile d’obtenir une hypothèque”.

En outre, les maisons-conteneurs peuvent avoir un problème de financement, parce que comme Day a dit, ils avaient presenté leur projet en disant qu’on pouvait aussi le déconstruire après pour construire quelque chose plus grande. Mais comme il était facile de le démonter, le développeur ne l’a pas acheté.

Toutefois, même si le design a rapporté beaucoup des reconnaissances, les frais pour utiliser métallurgistes et soudeurs pour joindre les conteneurs et fabriquer portes et fenêtres et aussi la méconnaissance du design comparé aux coûts de charpenterie traditionnelle (115$ pour mètre carré), rendent une vente difficile au développeur.

Les maisons-conteneurs assourent une vie accessible, et ils sont construits assez rapidement. Un projet de maisons-conteneurs a été fait à Washington, dans le quartier d’Edgewood, et il a fallu seulement sept mois pour l’élaborer et pour le construire.

Main on a été soulevé quelques préoccupations sur la sécurité des maisons-conteneurs, parce que étant donné que les casiers maritimes ont des sols en bois qui sont souvent traités avec des pesticides pour prévenir l’infestation ainsi que des substances chimiques qui préviennent la corrosion de l’air salé.

L’architect Day a dit que pour cette raison le recyclage de conteneurs d’expédition doit être fait trè minutieusement.

Le ralentissement économique globale peut aussi aider à rendre plus disponibles les containeurs d’expédition. Price a noté que chaque année il y a environ 2 millions de conteneurs laissés ”au repos” dans les ports.

Enfin, les maisons-conteneurs ne sont pas toujours économiques. Tandis que un conteneur peut être acheté avec 3,000$, une maison entièrement équipée, de luxe peut coûter 75,000$ ou bien 100,000$, dépendant de ferrures, matériaux isolants, revêtements et équipements du paroi et du sol. La seule chose qu’on économise c’est du temps. En effet la structure d’un appartement à plusieurs étages peut être assemblé en quelques heures et construit seulement en quelques jours plutôt qu’en quelques mois.

L’architect Day c’est très optimiste à propos de ce projet, il affirme: “Il y a beaucoup de personnes qui sont interessées sur ce projet. Le public c’est très excité et je pense que la nouvelle génération a envie d’un projet comme ça”.

3 MAPS TO MAKE SENSE OF INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

We often see the ‘Made in China’ label, but rarely understand what that means.

We sat down and simplified International Shipping. Here are the only 3 photos you need to have a basic understanding of how it works.

  1. Manufacturing

Manufacturers produce massive quantities of items to meet domestic and international demand. Once finished, the items are packaged and loaded into containers for shipping.

Factory.OverviewSM.jpgCourtesy of: Dutakharisma.com

  1. Shipping

Massive cargo ships are loaded by machine with standard-sized containers, before leaving port for their next destination.

f49bbf7a80ac9c8432112f61c52550c0.jpg

Courtesy of: Sciencemag.org

  1. Consuming

Once the items have arrived, they are unloaded and distributed to businesses and eventually sold-on to consumers.

1.jpg

Courtesy of: Bulgariamall.bg

MINIMALIST HOMES MADE FROM SHIPPING CONTAINERS

Homes made from shipping containers are very trendy right now ! Why exactly ?

Maybe because it is capable of offering more than it’s basic use (normally we use them to transport a large amounts of goods on boats or trains). Therefore shipping containers are multi functional ; not only they serve as object carriers but we can also create stylish homes to your personal needs !

With this idea, check out these 5 houses made of shipping containers which have MINIMALIST DESIGN.

Even though you can find a bunch of other designs we think that minimalist design suits the very basic concept of shipping containers which is to accommodate some goods. Houses basically, also follows this ideal.


1. See that sweet comfortable and portable house ?

This house is the perfect movable house if you seek tranquility. It’s cozy and simple design puts your mind at ease and you can enjoy a relax stay in any spot of your choice !

Shipping Container House

The interior reminds a Japanese style house ; all wooden, natural and eco-friendly.

2. What about this simple veranda style one ? 

If you’re more of a stable person, maybe you would prefer this one. This house gives you the feeling of tranquility with it’s classic and retro design. Having more space allows your mind and your body to relax more easily.

3. What’s the thing about white houses ?

White houses, particularly this white gem, define purity. If you’re in need of cleansing that soul of yours, maybe this container house will do you good.

Elegant, simple and classy, this house is located on a hilltop ; whatever your mood is, the purity that emits this house is magical whether you’re alone or with your loved ones.

4. What about for those who need a view ?

And after more than two years of design and construction, and a final tour for the Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the couple are finally preparing to move into their new home

Don’t worry, this special model is built for those who seek not only a comfy home but also a view that will take your breath away. With it’s terrace, you could enjoy the beautiful sun and sky as long as you want to.

Mooney wanted to stay true to the materials that  built his home and thus all the ceilings were left exposed This house kinds of have two personality with it’s openness to the outside world but it also provides privacy to it’s owner.

5. Do you see a swimming pool ? 

What’s better than a container house is, of course, one with a pool to dip in after a hard day’s work ;  this little beauty down here makes everything better with it’s peaceful green surroundings. Once you take a dip in that jade green water, you will feel rejuvenated again.

The house’s design perfectly fits with the natural environment in which it is constructed. So not only you will gain inner peace, you will also merge with mother nature.

So you see, shipping containers are flexible to different uses and environments. These 5 minimalist houses are only a few example of the tons of variety shipping containers can offer to imagine. The adaptability is so vast maybe because their initial use was so simple that it exceeds it’s own purpose.

Based in China, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the metalworking industry. As a major producer and exporter of shipping containers and other metal products and service, we essentially put our customer’s personal needs above all like these 5 container houses.

To know more about our company please visit our website. Also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

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Maria // SMC Editor

The Quik House Container

Adam Kalkin is ‘an artist, an architect and many other things’. Among these other things Kalkin is also the creator of a project called Quik House. By assembling recycled shipping containers, this architect has developed the idea of a prefabricated kit house.

Untitled design
from http://www.prefabs.com and http://www.quik-build.com

Here is what Kalkin has stated about his mission when interviewed by the CNN.

home-feature
from vq.vassar.edu

I use architecture as a vehicle for experimentation and discovering. The container is a proper skill object. When you recontextualize It, putting it in a residential context-use it for architecture proper, you both destroy the original context and create a new context. This is a form of upcycling […]. You get a beautiful dialogue from the old and the new and between one set of ideas and another and it creates a certain kind of vitality which really resonates with me.

adam-kalkin-container-house-3
from http://www.blessthisstuff.com
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from http://www.blessthisstuff.com

The project seems to meet three main expectations of today’s market. First, the coast. The price of the Quik House is very low compared to traditional houses. According to the Quik House website the estimated finishing cost for a basic Quik House composed by 6 modified shipping containers is around $184,000 (plus shipping). Second, a modern and unique design. For instance, customers could ask for local graffiti artists to decorate their new house. Third, eco-friendship. The use of second hand containers guarantees the involvement of Kalkin’s company in the recycling process which has a very positive impact on environment protection.

Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection of container houses. Visit our website and do not hesitate to contact us.

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Stefano// SMC Editor

The Dumpster Project – Leaving in a Container

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset
image via en.wikipedia.org

Have you ever heard of ‘the Dumpster Project’? It is a project created by environmental studies professor and dean at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas, Dr. Jeff Wilson. On February 4, 2015, Professor Wilson has moved to a dumpster container where he plans to stay for about one year. In his words, the Dumpster Project is ‘an experiment to test the absolute limit if you can be happy and healthy in a very small space’. Not only. According to the project website the purpose of this experiment is to experience an eco-friendly lifestyle that could bring benefits to a planet where the population is steadily increasing and living space decreases more and more year after year. In this regard, while the average dimensions of an American home are about 2,480 square feet, minster Wilson’s brand new house is 33 square feet big.

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image via laughingsquid.com

It is true that Professor Wilson will be living in a container for a year, but what is also true is that this container is modern and fully furnished. Indeed, it features solar panels to generate electricity, high efficiency toilets, a weather station, air conditioning, a sloping roof, locks and a mailbox. Of course, Wilson is not suggesting everyone to live this way, but it is proving that it is possible to live in smaller spaces. Moreover, through the Dumpster Project, his main goal is to encourage debates on sustainable way of living.

Dumpster-Project-1-Facebook-630x420
image via wgrd.com

You don’t need to be so radical. Living in a container house can be much more comfortable and unique than you ever thought. At SMC we also deal with container houses. Visit our website and do not hesitate to make contact us.

Scan the QR code below and stay informed about our latest updates:

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Stefano// SMC Editor

Why Containers work best as Apartments

Shipping container architecture has seen increased popularity over the years. This is largely due to the fact that containers are a much cheaper building system, as compared to conventional ways of building, and they are simple building inputs.

(image via http://www.containerhome.info)

Here are a few reasons why you need to build apartments with containers:

1. It takes far less time to transform a container into a living space! All it takes to have it from being the cargo carrier to being your comfortable home is, changing the floor, insulating the walls, and adding fixtures and windows. At SMC, we have specially made, pre-fabricated container houses which are fitted with plumbing, electricity and fixtures.

2. It takes less time to have the structure ready for people to live in, as opposed to building with bricks which are stacked one by one, a container is already a sturdy structure, thus, time taken to build from scratch is saved.

3. Containers used as apartments save a lot of land, as they can be easily stacked up to make an array of apartments. They are a perfect solution for housing in busy, overcrowded big cities and metropolis as they serve well to solve the problem of student housing and bachelor housing.

(image via http://www.tinyhouselover.com)

4.Container apartments help tenants to enjoy affordable rent! This is tangible reality can be seen here where container apartments were built up in London strategically for young people to be able to live comfortably and be can afford to pay rent. Since containers are a cheap input, hence the cheap rent!

5. Containers have high strength in their own structure, therefore it makes building with them very simple and more stronger buildings result. The high structural strength also enables homes to built in otherwise difficult-to-build areas such as wilderness homes and other adventurous types of homes.

So, why not reduce costs spent on building, while you save on construction time with container apartments? Visit our website to get more information about our container range, we are a leading manufacturer and supplier of containers in China.

Contact us for an inquiry or further assistance.  Stay clued up on our latest news and info by scanning the QR code below, or follow us on these social media:

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Lebo Seopane//SMC Editor

Credits: Google images, SMC website,www.inhabitat.com

Container Success

Container architecture is becoming more and more popular by the day,as more  people are intrigued by the unique design and appearance of container homes, apartments, offices and other living spaces.

At SMC we offer best quality shipping containers of international standard.  Containers, as one of our best selling products, have seen increasing demand and popularity as they are convenient to use as a building system, easy to set up, and can even be cost effective, when compared with  conventional building systems. Shipping container uses go as far as one’s imagination and creativity can go. They can be used as tuck shops, convenient office space,basement or bunker, garages and other spaces.

We offer containers in different sizes and variations, therefore there is a container suitable for all your needs. These variations range from the standard containerreefer containers, open-top container, open-side container as well as other special feature containers such as the flat rack container, platform container etc.

Our containers are manufactured in a way that quality and maximum strength are ensured, with rust protection, wind and water proof guaranteed.

Contact us for an inquiry to get more information about our product range.

Stay up to date with our latest updates by scanning the QR code below to download our latest application; or follow us on these social media sites:

 

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Lebo Seopane// SMC Editor

Credits: SMC website, Google images

Re-use, Adapt, Attract!

As the leading manufacturer and supplier of metal products in China,  SMC is the go-to supplier when you are looking for shipping containers to reuse in a cheap and eco-friendly manner. For instance, for micro businesses that can’t afford office space, our shipping containers come handy as they can be easily converted to office space or working space.

We meet the needs of all business sectors. Tuck-shop and window store owners can also re-purpose our shipping containers into their working space. Use our shipping containers as affordable, spacious, easy to set-up structures and get your business up and running without the hassle of looking for office space or paying office rental! Save your money and energy and find adaptive uses of containers to meet your needs!

Since a shipping container is just a long hollow structure, it allows one to apply a great deal of creativity and innovation towards making it a comfortable working space, giving one limitless ideas of how to design their space.  Incorporate different kinds of art to make the space personal.

With the growing trends in the real estate industry and enhancement of architectural renaissance, urban  land owners are trying to attract tenants to want to live in their container apartments as they have a unique and sassy look. The first ever container apartments were built in Washington DC, and the trend is growing by the day.  SMC being a leading supplier in China, our market has spread out beyond China’s borders by a great deal. We have already penetrated the rest of Asia, US, UK, Australia and many other countries, thus, we are not too far from you!

Visit our website click here for  inquiry, our friendly staff will be available to help.

Get our latest updates by downloading our latest application. Scan the QR code below and follow us on the following social media platforms:

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Lebogang Seopane//SMC Intern

Sources: Google images, SMC main website

Container Architecture – A Dialogue with Nature

Shipping containers are superior building material that enables people to build safe, durable and environmentally friendly homes with with a relatively small capital. Thanks to strong pillars in their four corners, shipping containers can be piled into high complexes. One aspect that has not gained that much attention is that shipping containers can be easily adjusted with their natural surroundings.

Shipping container architecture tries to use containers as wisely as possible in order to minimize users’ costs also after the installation process. Usually shipping container buildings are equipped with solar panels enabling the utilization of sustainable and green energy. For instance the Coca-Cola Company has installed solar-powered kiosks to many developing countries.

Shipping Container Complex at Cove Park Scotland (6)

Shipping containers are not only modular but also adjustable. The material sets only a limited amount of limitations for designers and architects. Shipping containers can have various door solutions. Open-top containers can even be used to create swimming pools.

Redondo Beach House, green building, sustainable building, green home, sustainable home, demaria designs, shipping container house

Because of the simple steel structure of shipping containers, only welding is needed to modify their structure. Because shipping containers are designed to carry heavy loads only on their corner pillars, roofing needs to be done with special care. You can read some tips about roofing for container shelters here.

Shipping Container Complex at Cove Park Scotland (4)

Container houses can be built to be naturally illuminated and naturally ventilated what brings the maintenance costs down to minimum. (More details can be found through references.)They can also be implemented to be resistant of heat, just like Seville shipping container cruise terminal that does not get hot even during hot summers.

Shipping Container Complex at Cove Park Scotland (2)

Shipping container architecture is going mainstream as more people engage in building homes, hotels, offices, entertainment centers or even private summer residences out of shipping containers. We in Shanghai Metal Corporation offer many kinds of shipping containers for industries to use. If you are interested in buying shipping containers, please send us an inquiry and our English speaking staff will give you guidance. For technical specifications please visit our website. Please also follow us on our social media platforms.

    

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Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Details about the container houses in the pictures : Home Edit, Inhabitat, Inthralld

Container Summer Pavilions – Luxury for the Modest

Have you ever dreamed about having a summer cottage of your own? Are you considering to buy one or perhaps to build it yourself? Building a vacation house according to one’s own design sounds fantastic, but you might be worried about the costs or confused about the choice of material. Luckily, there is a solution – shipping containers!

Besides shipping goods, shipping containers are also suitable for building beautiful homes in low cost. Actually, the price of an individual 40 ft or 20ft shipping container starts from US 2000. There are at least two reasons why the price is that low.

 

First, the manufacturing process is standardized according to ISO regulations enabling businesses to put containers into mass production. Second, there is a lot of oversupply of containers. According to some statistics, nearly 10,000 units sink annually in the world’s seas and thousands will be abandoned after their first use (read more about a case).

Building out of recycled shipping containers is as good as using totally new ones, and it is also cheaper. Shipping containers are meant to last for ages and tolerate extreme weather conditions in the oceans.  Therefore besides low-cost, shipping containers are also durable and can be considered as a form of sustainable building. Containers are so durable that they can even be converted into shelters for natural disasters.

What’s more, shipping containers come with unlimited design opportunities. The door solutions of shipping containers come in many forms and open-top containers can be transformed into swimming pools. Thanks to the pillars in their four corners, containers can be piled into a complexes of your desire. There are great examples of homes, hotels and stores that show container’s great architectural design. The container city in Mexico is know also for its visual design.

Inspiration for building an own container summer pavilion can be found in the container summer house competition organized by AC-CA. The pictures of these articles include representatives of the best contestant of the competition.

Besides vision and desire, you also will need the material. We in Shanghai Metal Corporation have a long history of providing standardized shipping containers for our international clients. We also have prefabricated container villa solutions that we ship  worldwide. For more details about our products, please visit our website or send us an inquiry.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Bustler, Bustler, Competitiononline, AC-CA, Wikipedia on Shipping Container Architecture

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