The coolest student-dorm is made of CONTAINERS!

No doubts! The coolest dormitory of all time is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Why this student-dorm is so unique? Because is made from old silos and shipping containers! The project was recently realized by the full service management company Citiq Property Services (PTY) Ltd. Here is how the company displayed this amazing idea.

“Citiq recently purchased two sets of the disused grain silos in Newtown, Johannesburg. Through creative design and leading edge architecture, the plans are to develop energy-efficient buildings that are both contemporary in design and contribute to the urban regeneration of Newtown. Conversion of Mill Junction, the first set of silos, to student accommodation started at the beginning of 2013 and was completed in early 2014, just in time for the new student intake.”  

(from citiqproperty.co.za)

from citiqproperty.co.za

from http://www.domusweb.it/en

As it was stated by DomusWeb website, the five silos used to build the dormitory were abandoned and grain was once stored there. Recycled containers were then placed, one on top of the other or one next to the other, both on the side and on top of the five silos. The dormitory can today host about 400 students enrolled in different school or universities thanks to the strategic location of the dormitory. This is for sure one of the most extraordinary example of how shipping containers can be used in a very fashionable way for a worthy purpose.

If you wonder how a single/double room looks like FastCoexist website provides you with the answer! How you can see from the pictures below, living in a container house/room looks exactly the same of sleeping in a ‘tradition’ house.

from http://www.fastcoexist.com/

Not only! This amazing dorm partially made from recycled shipping containers offers numerous common areas to students such as game and computer rooms, libraries, gym and kitchens, and even a climbing wall!!

from http://www.fastcoexist.com/

Wondering container-house might be the perfect solution for you and your family? 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

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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.

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.

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.

from http://www.blessthisstuff.com

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

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.

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.

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.

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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:

    

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 container, reefer 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.

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Lebo Seopane// SMC Editor

Credits: SMC website, Google images

Build your own safe haven!

At SMC, we not only recommend our shipping containers to be used for shipping, but we also have some other innovative ways to use them to share with you. We manufacture shipping containers of different dimensions, and different functionality, which can serve your specific needs accordingly. All our containers are characterized by durability, relatively inexpensive price, and sustainability.

If you are looking to build an underground shelter or basement to make into a safe haven for your family, for example in times of hurricanes and other natural disasters, containers are a good resource to build this shelter. They are easy-to-set up, highly durable, and can be fixed onto a foundation made from cement, bricks or even wood. This is merely just to ensure that the shelter is anchored well to the ground, and more secure.

Make yourself a comfortable underground bunker using our containers!

The idea of making a shelter out of containers also comes handy for military bases, which may be in remote areas where it isn’t so easy to build with conventional building materials; and can sometimes be of great use when making a secret hideout place for soldiers at war for instance. We have a variation of prefabricated containers which ensure great durability and are more sustainable  for containers used as shelter of a dwelling place in nature.

Our containers also come handy as affordable, easy to set up structures. In developing countries’ remote areas, where there may not be enough resources to build a hospital for instance, our containers can be used as a mobile clinic as it is can easily loaded onto the back of a truck and driven to the place of need.  

To make the perfect shelter for your needs, visit our website for more information about our various containers and other products. Contact us for free inquiry.

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Lebogang Seopane// SMC Intern

Credits: Google images, SMC website

 

 

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:

    

 

Lebogang Seopane//SMC Intern

Sources: Google images, SMC main website

Looks Prettier than It Costs!

Are you tired of high water bills? Think it’s too much effort maintaining your gardens and football pitch? Well, at SMC, we have the solution to your gardening problems!

Artificial lawn is becoming more and more popular by the day, as it is ever-green all year round, requires little maintenance, has easy installation, and creates a breath-taking scenery, and most of all saves you from high water bills!

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At SMC, our building systems subsection is concerned about all your building needs. Enhance the look of your gardens and sports arena with our artificial grass! While you are at it, take it up a notch and incorporate our shipping containers which you can recycle to create extra living space with an open patio setting. Recycled containers used in design and decor, are a great architectural success to creating contemporary gardens! They allow you to create your own lush and unique garden, at minimal cost. SAY BYE-BYE TO WATER BILLS and HELLO to beautiful lush gardens all year round! NO lawn mowing, no pruning, no watering! You save a lot!

SMC is a professional artificial grass manufacturer and is one of the leading building systems supplier in China. Having a world-wide market, we produce world-class artificial grass from synthetic turf; which is widely used in home gardens, golf landscape, and sports arena.

Moreover, our artificial grass is also safe for children to play on, hence it’s perfect for school play grounds.

Enjoy beautiful views in your homes and sports arena with our artificial grass, with no fuss of high maintenance. At SMC, we understand the problem of water scarcity; so come to SMC to save water and pay less money for your water bills and garden maintenance personnel. All that cost forgone is  accompanied by breath-taking landscape architecture!

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Read more about how best we can meet your building system needs by visiting our website or make an inquiry.

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or scan the QR code to download our new application

Lebogang Seopane//SMC Intern

Sources: Google images, SMC website

Construction Made Easy

A lot of people often get disgruntled at the thought of beginning a new project of building a structure such as a house or warehouse for instance, because it usually takes a long time to get such structures up. Well, at SMC we offer state of the art building systems which allows a lot of businesses operating in the construction industry to breathe easy,as they can enjoy shortened construction duration, as well as great, durable and versatile buildings. Steel building system is particularly useful in mega structures such as bridges and high-rise buildings as it is very strong, firm and sturdy, therefore making it resistant; and also enables flexible designs.

Learn more about our building systems here.

With the fast paced growth of the real estate industry, we see more and more of unique and spectacular structures coming up, as people try to be more innovative and creative in  creating their dream homes. Steel homes are unique, cost efficient, easy -to-set-up structures.

Not only are steel structures eye catching, they are also easy to set up because unlike brick-built structures, big chunks of steel are used to set up on side of a structure for instance, hence is easier and faster to get the material on-site; as opposed to bricks which are brought on-site one by one, thus it can greatly reduce the time taken to set up a built structure.

These structures are every architect’s dream, as they are a gateway to their limitless creativity; and these unique structures usually encompass very intricate architectural designs. At SMC we offer steel grating, which can be used for steel building, steel floors and other building structures of your desire. Our steel grating used on floors can enhance resistance and enable the flooring to withstand heavy loads, unlike floor tiles which are susceptible to cracks when heavy loads are placed on them. For this reason steel flooring is perfect for warehouses! Again, steel is an affordable, cost efficient flooring solution, and gives your structure a one-of-a-kind feel. Steel is also more durable, easy to clean, and thus sustainable. Incorporate steel in your home, and warehouse. With SMC, great savings can be made with using steel building systems!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact us for a free inquiry or visit our website 

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Lebogang Seopane//SMC Intern

Sources: Google Images

Living in Aluminum Box?!

Nowadays, prices of apartments have been becoming more and more expensive. A big living space is now a dream of everyone. Japan is well-known for tiny flats, apartments, houses where one room can serve as a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom at the same time. There is a nice solution for Japanese people to have a decent affordable housing – aluminum houses.

The interior of these units measures 7 feet by 12 feet across. The height of a ceiling is almost 7,5 feet. As aluminum conducts heat easily, they added an insulation – urethane foam between aluminum sheets. The walls’ insulation keeps house quiet. Inside the house there are modern appliances and conveniences as a bed, a toilet, a shower, a sink, a kitchenette (with a fridge, a microwave and a stove) , a TV and an air-conditioning. Most of the interior fixtures are made out of aluminum.

Aluminum house on the wheels

What would you say about building your own tiny aluminum house? And on the wheels! Bills are cheaper, you have less to maintain around you, besides you really don’t have extra space for buying things you won’t use. One guy built it by himself and it looks amazing! But if some of you are claustrophobic it isn’t probably the right place for you to live in.

Process of building

Shanghai Metal Corporation provides various kinds of aluminum, aluminum sheets and plates, brushed aluminum sheets, embossed aluminum sheets used for many applications. Find more information in our website or send us inquiry. English speaking staff will guide you further. Download our application by scanning QR code below or follow us on Social Media.

    

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Read more articles written by this author here.

Credits: tinyhousetalk.com, kotaku.com, www3.nhk.or.jp, tinyhouseblog.co, googleimages