Studying in shipping containers

Nowadays shipping containers are becoming more and more popular. Container restaurants, shipping container bars, shipping container clinics or shipping container dream houses. Basically, a shipping container is made out of steel and it is a type of storage box used to load heavy equipment, dry goods for shipping purposes. But is it possible to study in a shipping container as well?

A container’s classroom

In rolling hills of Durbanville wine alley, on the outskirts of Cape Town in South Africa, the region known for its poverty, finally found sponsors, three South African companies, Woolworths, Safmarine and AfriSam and a shipping recycled container was converted into a independent classroom. Kids at age 5-6 could start studying.

A concept diagram

 

It started as an annual competition called “Making the difference through design”. The competitors tried to find a way how a recycled container can be adapted to help under-resourced schools.

Colorful windows

This container serves as a classroom in the morning and as a library in the afternoon. The container is sheltered from direct sunlight by a big roof while the gap reduces heat gain. This horizontal solar shade is the most radical addition to the container. There are colorful windows located on each side of the container to achieve a cross ventilation. Stepped seating offers children to have their lunch there and socialize. It is also an amphitheater for school assemblies.

A large area around the classroom was transformed into a vegetable garden where children can grow plants and have fresh vegetables as a part of school’s feeding program.

As we see containers are not only economical but also very practical. Shanghai Metal Corporation is the leading manufacturer and supplier of shipping containers so please feel free to visit our website or send us inquiry. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LindkedIn. if you have smart phone or tablet, download our brand new application by scanning QR code. Our English speaking staff will be more than glad to help you and answer your questions.

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Credit and pictures: wisegeek.com, wikipedia.com, archdaily.com, gizmag.com, google images, pinterest

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Better Education Obtained in Container Schools

Today shipping containers are used to build apartments, hotels, stores and saunas to name but a few. But why does it make sense to build schools out of containers?

The first reason is that especially old wooden school buildings are likely to have mold issues that may cause severe health risks. For example an article of a Finnish science magazine Tiede states that every second school in Finland has mold issues (source). Students are therefore either forced to stay in their mold school or move to another school. Container schools could be installed in relatively short time and with relatively low costs.

The second reason can be studied from Samsung. In 2012, the South Korean electronics chaebol established a shipping container school in the South African village of Phomolong as a part of its corporate-social responsibility program. The school offers its 21 students premium education facilities with solar powered electricity system and notebooks, an Internet connection and Samsung Galaxy tablets. (source)

In Orange County California, creative architects had an over three months projects of expanding the Waldorf School in Costa Mesa by using shipping containers. It took 99 days to build four buildings out of 32 shipping containers. The eco-friendly construction project cost two million US dollars which was estimated of being 10-20 percent cheaper than an “old-school” building project. Also it would have most likely taken more time than 99 days to finish by using other material than shipping containers.

There are many types of internationally standardized shipping containers. Some have an open top and some can be opened from the sides. Thereby it gives designers limitless opportunities to develop mobile education facilities. In order to solve mold related problems or take education to less developed areas, governments, nonprofit organizations and companies’ CSR managers should look for containerized education solutions.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is a proud provider of shipping containers. Our wide variety of container products can be seen in our website http://www.smccontainer.com. We hope that you also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also try our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Tiede magazine, Cnet, The Volt Report, Arch Daily, Wintech Modular Buildings, Lion Containers, Design Boom