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

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The Many Architectural Applications of Shipping Containers vol.12

Shipping Container architecture is getting branded as the synonym of affordable housing and sustainable living. Containers are a really low-cost and durable material that has caught the attention of designers and architects worldwide. Shipping containers can also be easily modified. They can be stacked, flipped or welded together in different angles. This 12th chapter of container architecture will present the current extremes of container buildings.

The simplest container houses can be built by using only one container. For instance an Australian firm Nova Deko Modular has presented one of their stylish micro-homes in Milan. Their single-container prefabricated house is a compact and space saving solution that optimizes all the space-use inside a 40 ft shipping container.(via Inhabitat)

Atelier Workshop’s Port-a-Bach is a shipping container micro-home on wheels. The house is designed to be easily moved to different locations and to accommodate two adults and two children.(via Inhabitat)

What might be the maximum amount of containers one could use for a single building? These examples will lead to the answer.

Detroit’s The Power of Green Housing Development will upcycle 93 shipping containers to build the multi-family home complex shown in the picture above. This four-floor house of flats will have 20 residences of one to three bedroom solutions.(via Inhabitat)

The complex that New York-based architecture firm LOT-EK is designing in Taiwan, will consist of 1,620 shipping containers. Recycled containers will be the main material for Taichung city’s Cultural Center that will hold art shows and screen films among many other cultural activities.(via Inhabitat)

No matter how big houses you wish to build, shipping containers, prefabricated container houses and other construction material can be purchased from Shanghai Metal Corporation. See our webpages for more information. Feel free to send us any questions through this form. Check also our social media channels for future updates.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Please use the the social media boxes below to SHARE this article to reach all the friends of shipping container architecture everywhere.

The Many Architectural Applications of Shipping Containers vol.11

Shipping containers are made to be durable. Because of their strength they are also an ideal building material that can be used to build safe homes. Actually, the safety level of shipping containers is so high that they can be used also to build prisons and shelters.

In Australia’s Victoria, the local government is establishing a prison system of 50 containers.  Victoria is an area of overcrowded prisons, and therefore containers bring an excellent solution for the problem. Australia is planning to apply the same solution in other areas as well.

Victoria’s prisons are meant for medium-security prisoners. The next question could be, taken the fact that shipping containers are as they are, how can one increase their security level? Modifying the prisons environment would be the only option. Setting up an Alcatraz style prison in the middle of an area of water area would work.  That is actually something that can also be implemented with containers.

Shipping containers, with some modifications,  can also become protective underground shelters for natural disasters or terrorist attacks. The most important modification is roofing.

Even though containers’ walls are designed to resist rough weather even in extreme conditions, most people like to bury their container bases in order to make it invisible. Still, one needs to take into consideration that the containers’ steel roofs are not made to last heavy loads. Containers are designed to lie on their four strong corners. So therefore, after digging a hole for the container one should design a frame that supports adding a gabion basket on the container. The gabion basket filled with rocks will protect the container. See original articles for more details.

Where the containers’ exterior surrounding has some limitations, the interior design is basically free for users’ own imagination. Today some containers come with a generator and bathroom solutions making the containers livable apartments.

Shipping containers, prefabricated container houses and other construction material can be purchased from Shanghai Metal Corporation. See our webpages for more information. Feel free to send us any questions through this form. Check also our social media channels for future updates.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Continue to Chapter 12.

Pictures and Original articles: Rawlinsons.co.nz, Sourceable.net,Theage.com.au, Abc.net.au, Asiapacific.anu.edu.au, Greenbiz.com,Daily Mail, Odt.co.nz, Ttora.com, Treehugger.com, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Sourceable.net, Prepper-recources.com,Containerauction.com, Emyplanb.wordpress.com,followingfuji1.blogspot.com, Luxtica.com

Stačí pár medených káblov a svetový rekord je na svete

Meď je chemický prvok, značka je Cu (z latinčiny Cuprum) a protónové číslo 29. Je to kov, ktorý má vysokú tepelnú vodivosť, je tvárny za tepla či chladu a dobrú odolnosť voči korózii.   Meď nereaguje s vodou, ale pomaly reaguje s atmosferickým kyslíkom. Väčšina medi je ťažená alebo extraktovaná ako sulfid medi. Medzi najväčších producentov medi patrí Čile, Spojené štáty americké, Austrália a Švajčiarsko(source). Meď sa používa už najmenej 10 000 rokov, ale viac ako 96% medi sa vyťažilo od roku 1900. Odhadované rezervy medi sú na najblizších 25 až 60 rokov. V súčasnosti je najväčším zdrojom medi jej recyklovanie.  Podobne ako hliník, aj meď je stopercentne recyklovateľný bez straty na kvalite.

Okrem týchto všeobecných a väčšinou známych faktov tu je ešte jeden – meď môžete použiť na vytvorenie nového svetového rekordu.

10Gbps internet cez medenú telefónnu linku 

Majstri v telekomunikáciách, Bell Labs, prišli s novým svetovým rekordom, internetová rýchlosť 10Gbps cez medené drôty. Dubbed XG.fast, nová technológia by mohla byť použitá na predĺženie života už existujúcej siete medených liniek. Telekomunikácie by tak mali alternatívu k optickým vláknam v miliónoch domácností po celom svete, ktoré majú telefónnu linku.

 Najväčšia medená guľa

Rick Fortin, sám seba opisuje ako “šialenca do recyklovania”, ktorý sa počas dlhých zimných dní nudil, a tak začal vytvárať medenú guľu. Mala priemer jeden meter a vážila neuveriteľných 400kg.

“Mal som toľko veľa drôtov,” he said. že som najprv začal vyrábať medené stromy a až potom som sa pustil do medenej gule a úplne ma to pohltilo.”

Ak teda nebudete vedieť, čo s nadbytočnými medenými drôtmi, teraz už viete, ako sa dostať do Guinessovej knihy rekordov 🙂

Shanghai Metal Corporation ponúka vysoko-kvalitné medené produkty, ale aj kovové, oceľové a iné. Viac informácií nájdete na  našich webových stránkach alebo nám zašlite dopyt. Anglicky hovoriaci personál vám ochotne pomôže. Nasledujte nás tiež na Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LindkedIn alebo si prečítajte blog. Stiahnite si aplikáciu oskenovaním QR kódu.

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Prečítajte si viac článkov od tohto autora tu.

Zdroje : wikipedia.org, worldrecordacademy.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, extremetech.com, googleimages.com

Shipping Containers And Other Amazing Swimming Pools

Swimming pools seem to be a symbol of luxury that every high-end real estate must have. A simple container of water that gives people a relaxing sensation can be designed in many ways. The world has its crazy examples.

The Cage of Death in Darwin Australia lets the swimmers swim in an underwater glass cage that is surrounded by 18-foot alligators. The attraction in Crocosaurus Cove operates 12 times a day, letting visitors take a 15 minute dive with the crocs.

The Infinity Pool in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands hotel lets its guests swim on the roof of the 150 meter tall 5-star hotel. The pool designed by Moshe Safdie is the world’s largest at this height and offers the best city-skyline view of Singapore.

If you are visiting Dallas, getting a room in Joule Hotel would be a great option. The special thing about the hotel is its rooftop swimming pool that goes beyond the edge of the hotel’s wall. Guests will enjoy the spectacular view from the plexiglass window at the far end of the pool. The Pool is also heated to perfection and offers the ideal place for perfect relaxation.

In case of building pop-up swimming pools, shipping containers are the right material. Shipping container pools have attracted crowd in many public events. For instance the fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger introduced a container swimming pool in Berlin’s Bread and Butter fashion trade show in 2011. Also the city of New York has arranged some container pool parties in Manhattan.

As mentioned in our previous articles, shipping containers are an instance of modest luxury because they allow even lower and middle income households to build a home or a summer house with a swimming pool. An experimental architect Stefan Beese set us an example when he used less than US$7,000 to build a fantastic swimming pool in his New Orleans home. (read more)

Even though shipping containers are a really simple structured construction material, their application is limited only by human imagination. The facilities that used to be expensive are now getting cheaper thanks to shipping containers. Some people say that heating the water in swimming pools is expensive. Could heat absorbing metal containers be the solution?

If you are interested in building shipping container swimming pools, we in Shanghai Metal Corporation are really glad to help you. Our variety of shipping containers is wide as we show in our webpage. In order to offer you a right solution, just send us an inquiry and our English speaking staff will give you assistance. Also remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Crocosaurus Cove, Marina Bay Sands, The Joule Hotel, Allday.com

Get Bent: Apple

All the buzz around Apple’s newest iPhone6 may not be that of a success. Not even its 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models sold in three days after the phones went on sale. Rather, it seems like the new ‘bendable’ iPhone6 is even a hotter hit, going viral on social media as hashtag #BendGate.

Not only a rumor but proved by a number of pictures published on the world web, the new iPhone6 and iPhone6 Plus easily bend when carried in owners’ pockets for long periods of time. Others claimed the flexibility of the new phone while having more active lifestyle and dancing.

The question whether this affects all the devices or if it is limited to a small number of phones is still unclear, and Apple has not yet pronounced. Last year there were similar cases involving iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy S4, the HTC EVO, and many others, but this is actually the first time the bending issue has become an “epidemic”.

Ironically, the reports claiming the issue came out the same day that smartphone warranty provider SquareTrade called the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus the “most durable smartphones ever”. Significantly larger and thinner than the traditional iPhone, the iPhone6 and iPhone6 Plus are encased by aluminum enclosure, which is a naturally flexible material.

CNNMoney received a test model and several staffers tried and failed to change its shape using brute force. What this will mean for the future of iPhones? Well, earlier this year the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently published Apple’s patent application which describes a new technology to be integrated with bendable displays. It talks about a new method on how to use tiny metal components in a way that prevents them from breaking when the display is bent. It might be it?

For now, what remains for iPhone6 owners is to remove their iPhones from their pockets before sitting, placing them in a less tight pocket, or choose for a more resistant case that could protect the device from bending and flexing. And if you still think of acquiring an iPhone6 or iPhone6 Plus, it is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the UK and it will go on sale in 20 more countries on September 26^th and others by the end of the year.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is a world leader in producing and supplying the best quality in aluminum that could prevent devices such as the iPhone6 and iPhone6 to easily bend. To find out more, please visit our Website or send your inquiry here. Our English speaking personnel will be more than pleased to help you. Follow us on  LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code.

Story credit: Dominick F.//SMC Sales Specialist

Source and photo credit: foxnews.com, money.cnn.com, macrumors.com, newser.com, gadgetlove.com

Camilla G.//SMC Editor

Read more articles by this author here.

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Goldfish Gets Brain Surgery

In Melbourne, Australia, an apparently regular occurrence is taking plaice (pun intended) – a fish surgery. Dr. Tristan Rich at Lort Smith Animal Hospital operated on a goldfish named George to remove a large tumor.

To prepare for the surgery, Rich had George swim around in a bucket of water laced with anesthetic to knock him out, the hospital explained in a Facebook post. A spokesperson from Lort Smith told NBC News the surgery cost about $300 AUD and, despite how unusual it seems, it’s not the first of its kind.

Speaking of, Shanghai Metal produces the carbon steel used in surgical blades. As an ISO 14001 (International Quality Management System) Company and recipient of the “Star Enterprise Award,” Shanghai Metal Corporation prides itself on exceeding international standards of quality and reliability. We guarantee the best prices, quality support, and fast delivery. To find out more, please visit our Website or send your inquiry here. Our English speaking personnel will be more than pleased to help you. Follow us on  LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code.

Sources: NBC News, Metro

Siobhan R.// SMC Editor

Read more articles by this author here.

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Architectural Triumphs With Galvanized Steel

Corrugated and sheet metals such as galvanized steel have come a long way in the architectural and construction communities from when they were simply a strong and effective material used as roofing. It has come to the point now where they can be the feature of a home or building and used both inside and out.

This idea of galvanized steel as a universal building material is shown below where the house features has used it for both a roofing material and as exterior wall cladding. This industrial appearing material, when combined with the natural aesthetic of wood creates a juxtaposition between man and nature, especially given the lush backdrop of rural Australia.

From an interior perspective there is an increasing trend to use both corrugated, flat and shaped galvanized steel for both ceilings and walls. The remarkable example below featured in the master bedroom of  a modern home show how the metallic surface of galvanized steel can add a touch of modernity to a design, with the corrugated sheeting offering a texture rarely seen in the interior of a home.

The versatility of this material is undeniable, with designers stretching their imagination to previously-thought impossible lengths. As is witnessed in the examples below; the ability to bend, shape, curve and erect this material at extreme pitches can lead to some outstanding design possibilities. The home on the left features a nearly 100% external composition of pre-painted corrugated galvanized steel proving the residents with high bush-fire protection, energy efficiency as well as a remarkable aesthetic!

In contrast to these curves seen above the design featured below presents an opposing dynamic of this material. With its sheer pitched sides, long straight lengths and intense angles it is hard not to appreciate the capabilities this material offers to architects and the remarkable results that are left for the eye to enjoy.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is a world leader in innovative metal manufacture and will strive to meet all of your building and design specifications. To find out more, please visit our Website or send your inquiry here. Our English speaking personnel will be more than pleased to help you. Follow us on  LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code.

Sources: Ral Homes, Colorbond, ArchiExpo & Freshome

Dominick F.//SMC Editor

Read more articles by this author here.

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Can You Guess What’s Wrong In This Picture?

The photograph series “For What It’s Worth” by photographer and artist Dillon Marsh is at the very least surreal. By combining photographic precision and computer-generated imagery Marsh produces illogical images as an attempt to provide a graphic visualization of the quantity of copper extracted from the Blue Mine in Springbok, situated 550 km north of Cape Town.

Blue Mine, Springbok (1852 to 1912) 3,535 tonnes of copper extracted

The blue in ‘Blue Mine’ is in reference to the color of rocks in the mine as a result of copper coming into contact with oxygen in the air. Back to the mid-19th century copper was the primarily driving force behind the establishment of relatively remote area of the country such as Springbok, Okiep and Nababeep as formal towns. Following operations that began in 1852, the Blue Mine is recorded as the first commercial mining endeavour in South Africa. South Africa hasn’t been so commercial before, and with the discovery of copper deposits the town became a centre for mining prospectors with movement of people coming to Springbok also attracted by its near and steady supply of drinkable water.

Nababeep South Mine, Nababeep (1882 to 2000) 302,791.65 tonnes of copper extracted

By 2007, however, most of these mines had run their course and production had stopped almost completely. As an attempted to represent the uncertain future for the towns and people of the region, Marsh placed impressive copper spheres in the arid scene of what once served as copper mine. “Whether they are active or long dormant, mines speak of a combination of sacrifice and gain”, describes Marsh. He also adds “their features are crude, unsightly scars on the landscape – unlikely feats of hard labor and specialized engineering, constructed to extract value from the earth but also exacting a price”.

Jubilee Mine, Concordia (1971 to 1973) 6,500 tonnes of copper extracted

Mash’s intention is “to create a kind of visualization of the merits and shortfalls of mining in South Africa, an industry that has shaped the history and economy of the country so radically”.  On the one hand, the development of the mines around Okiep contributed significantly to the demise of copper mining in south-west of England. On the other hand technology and skill were still transferred from these mines to other parts of the world. Unesco classifies the principle value of the copper mine site of Springbok an extension of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape in the UK, for instance, also sharing a close association with other mining landscape in Australia, Brazil, India and Mexico.

Tweefontein Mine, Concordia (1887 to 1904) 38,747.7 tonnes of copper extracted

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide range of metals such as copper, widely used in varying artifacts. To find out more, please visit our Website, WordPress, LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook  and Instagram. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code. Moreover, we sell directly from Alibaba , EC21 ,Tradekey or directly at sales@shanghaimetal.com.

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Source and picture credit: springbokinfo.co.za, designboom.com, visualnews.com, ignant.de, whc.unesco.org, dillonmarsh.com

Camilla G.//SMC Editor

Pay For Your Burger With Recycled Cans

Recycled aluminum cans have never been so wanted these days. Coca-Cola is the greater innovator when it comes to marketing campaigns such as China’s Coke Lyrics and now the partnership with McDonalds’ Australia, Coke Rewards, giving away rewards as you collect tokens.

Now McDonald’s takes one step further as an effort to get its fair share in this endless social marketing industry. Following an eco-conscious marketing move, McDonald’s in Stockholm is using recycled cans as currency in exchange for burgers. Part of an interactive campaign designed to the food chain company the advertising agency DDB Stockholm has created a huge incentive to young Swedes unwittingly clean up after them, especially during the summer time when parks and festivals leave behind piles of emptied aluminum beer and soda cans around the city.

As DDB Stockholm puts it, “you’ll find a lot of young people with empty drink cans and empty wallets”. As Simon Higby, a DDB Stockholm creative, puts it, “Youngsters don’t always have so much cash, but sometimes they can get empty cans. So, accepting cans in return for burgers gets them to McDonald’s and the cans to the recycling depot. Everyone’s happy.”

All you have to do is to fill up a bag provided by McDonald’s with 10 cans in exchange for a hamburger or cheeseburger or 40 cans for a Big Mac. The recycling bags can be found attached to strategically installed billboards, which function as a dispenser for free bags – you just tug on the poster’s bottom to get your bag and you are ready to go to the nearest McDonald’s store to get your free burger.

The Swedish fast food chain now accepts “cards, cash and cans” and is an attempt to align the “making profit” during summer time with environmental concerns. By getting a burger the youngster will ultimately opt for fires or a drink to go with it, increasing sales of such items.

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide range of aluminum sheet (aluminum plate) widely used in the manufacturing of Coke aluminum cans. To find out more about us, please visit our Website, WordPress, LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook  and Instagram. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code. Moreover, we sell directly from Alibaba , EC21 and Tradekey.

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Source and picture: adweek.com, ddb.se, inhabitat.com, adweek.com, creativityonline.com, coloribus.com, 11even.net

Camilla G.//SMC Editor