METAL MAGIC – FROM THE SCRAP HEAP TO MASTERPIECE

Metal is an extremely versatile medium for art and New Mexico artist Chris Turri has taken it to all new heights.

Not only are his pieces composed of metal, b he specifically uses old metal.

In his interview with KRQE News, he revealed that he sources metal from unconventional places such as old pipes, the side of streets and from old cars.

Chris’ work can be viewed on his personal site and in galleries.

We’d love to hear more about artists using metal in creative ways! Send us a message telling us your favorites!

AN ECO-FRIENDLY AND CREATIVE CONCEPT: STARBUCKS SHIPPING CONTAINER STORES

Who ever thought shipping container can turn into a cool coffee shop? Starbucks did it! Starbucks succeed to get attention with their innovative concept of drive-thru shipping container stores.

On December 13, 2011, the first Starbucks shipping container was built in Tukwila, Washington. This concept came out from Puget Sound, the busiest shipping port in Washington. When Starbucks design team were thinking about an eco-friendly store idea, they looked at the Puget Sound and found an idea to reuse shipping containers as a sustainable store.

Starbucks uses shipping container to deliver coffee, tea, and other materials all across the world, so it seems fitting that they decided to use shipping containers to build their stores. By using unused shipping containers, Starbucks help to reduce their waste because after 20-25 years of lifespan, it will become scrap. This new concept turns out to be the breakthrough for Starbucks popularity. Many customers give very good response about this Starbucks’ new store. It’s not only an innovative idea, but also environmental and economical friendly.

However, it’s a little hard for Starbucks to arrange the equipments in the 40-foot shipping container stores because it is not a big space and also they can’t modify the dimensions. They need to figure it out exactly where all the equipment needs to go, so the six employees in there don’t end up bumping into one another.

Starbuck’s design team using this shipping container stores as their eco-friendly store ideas. They expect to achieve LEED certification. This shipping container stores have met the LEED standards: water efficient irrigation, energy performance optimization, use of green power, construction waste management, recycled content, low-emitting materials, and overall innovation and design.

Today, Starbucks have built a few of shipping container stores all over US:

Tukwila, Washington, the first Starbucks’ shipping container store.
Denver, Colorado
Portland, Oregon
Salt Lake City, Utah, opened September 2014
Chicago
Ballard, Seattle, opened February 2, 2014

It’s not only Starbucks that used shipping containers to build their stores. There is also a few unique shipping container restaurants all over the world:

Smoky Park Supper Club, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Till the Cows Come Home, Berlin, Germany

Ska Brewing’s World Headquarters & Tasting Room, Durango, Colorado, USA

Shipping containers are flexible for different uses. Look at Starbucks that succeed make a cool shipping container coffee shop. Some of unique restaurants also made from shipping container. These Starbucks stores and a few of shipping container restaurants are only a few example of the innovative idea of shipping containers.

Based in China, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the manufacturing of metalworking industry. We can produce and export shipping containers and other metal products and service. We prioritize the efficient of manufacturing and environmental sustainability.

Want to know more about our company? Please visit our website and you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Feel free to download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

Source: Containerhomeplans, Inhabitat, Starbucksmelody

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 !

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 ?

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.

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.

#AddingValueAcrossTheGlobe

Maria // SMC Editor

More Than a Radiator

The world of interior design is border-less and what is commonly considered a normal domestic heat exchanger can become a real piece of art. As you have certainly figured out, today we will talk about metal radiators: not common radiators but design radiators!

Here is a selection for you.

CIUSSAI (concept & design Stefano Ragaini e Giorgio Di Tullio) It is a long tube radiator. Depending on the customer’s needs and creativity, the uniqueness of this radiator is that it is “on the move” and for this reason it can take different forms.

SCALETTA (desing Elisa Giovannoni). This stair-radiator does not require a complex installation and can then be easily moved from a room to another.

salone_bagno-27-650x487 — From leonardo.tv

CALORISFERO by Deltacalor. This radiator is made of wood and steel and its very particular design makes it more similar to a piece of art than a radiator.

MIRROR (design Fabio Berti) No mistakes! What you see in the picture below is not a simple mirror but a mirror-radiator. It can be placed wherever it better fits the client’s needs: from the bathroom to the entrance hall for a last-minute check before leaving home.

ARCHIBALD by Runtal and MONTE CARLO from Designer Radiators. Nothing better than towel warmer after a shower. Even better if it is a design radiator.

chic-radiator-runtal-archibald-2 — From ideare-casa.com

designer-radiators-monte-carlo-towel-warmer — From trendir.com

What about you? What design radiator do you like the most? Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection of metals such as aluminum, copper, steel and so on. Great quality and competitive prices are our guidelines in order to satisfy clients from all over the world. Visit our website to learn more about our business and products and do not hesitate to contact us.

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

Stefano // SMC Editor

Metal : the new material for home design…

In today’s Article we will discover the trending home design with a special material : Metal.

The Metal home design sector is booming. In fact, a lot of designers use steel in order to create spectacular styles, beautiful gate or amazing stairs… Metal is becoming the new fashionable material for a modern look.

photo en premier — Photo from homeadore.com

Traditionally the basic use staircase in a house was to link one floor to another, but today it has become a real decoration tool. In fact, trendy stairs knows a genuine boom in the interior and exterior decoration of houses around the world.

Different materials can be used in order to produce some stairs, such as steel, currently very trendy.

Also, with the structural properties of steel, producers are able to create very slim and elegant design and excellent quality while perfectly integrating to the style of the house.

Many optical illusions can be created with the material , making the decoration even more fascinating and interactive. (see picture)

Moreover, in the same way we can find a design in front door…

Example of Wrought Iron Entryway, by Artistic Iron Works, Las Vegas, NV

Metal can also be used for the creation of entire houses. We have a perfect example with this house in Mexico city, Mexico, with a beautiful and amazing design.

Are you interested by the design of this kind of house equipment ? If you are searching for material to build your “dream house” Feel free to visit Shanghai Metal Corporation, you can discover our wide selection of metals that can be used for various applications. Contact us any time for further information. We have English-speaking staff who will be more than glad to help you.

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

Perrine // SMC Editor

Metal Step by Step

If you follow this blog, you certainly know that here at Shanghai Metal Corporation we are big fans of the combination between metal and interior design. This is the reason why we often write about metal furniture and metal features employed in architecture projects. We wrote about tables, chairs, wardrobes and so on. But today we take more than a step further. We take a stair further. A metal stair, of course! Metal is more and more employed in the construction of design stairs as the below gallery will show you. Take a look!

Francesco Librizzi Studio has designed a basic and modern metal structure staircase that fits perfectly in a 1900 apartment in Milan. The staircase is made from 14mm-wide lengths of iron, which create ladder-like treads inside a rectilinear tower. (from dezeen.com)

dezeen_Metal-Staircase-by-Francesco-Librizzi-Studio_sq — from dezeen.com

dezeen_Metal-Staircase-by-Francesco-Librizzi-Studio_8 — from dezeen.com

Slim by Fontanot is a spiral staircase made of stainless steel. It is minimal, elegant and easily fits any kind of interior design style.

The modern staircase below is part of a project designed by Lawrence Architecture in Seattle. The structure is made of metal and every step isembedded in the wall, giving an idea of suspension

Amazing-West-Seattle-Residence-Design-by-Lawrence-Architecture-Minimalist-Architecture-Designs — from archiii.com

2012-West-Seattle-Residence-Design-by-Lawrence-Architecture-Architecture-Photos — from archiii.com

According to the official website, Etika by Officine Sandrini is “not a simple staircase, not a simple piece of furniture, but a sculpture, a piece of art.” (from officinesandrini.co.uk) This helical stair is made of iron and the inspiration behind it comes from “an audacious combination of new and ancient knowledge.” (from officinesandrini.co.uk)

Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection of metals such as aluminum, copper, steel and so on. Great quality and competitive prices are our guidelines in order to satisfy clients from all over the world. Visit our website to learn more about our business and products and do not hesitate to contact us.

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

Stefano // SMC Editor

Renzo Piano’s Whitney Museum

Today Shanghai Metal Corporation brings you to the Big Apple where Italian architect Renzo Piano has recently announced the completion of the project that will host the new Whitney Museum of American Art. The building is “an asymmetric steel and concrete assembly in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District” (dezeen.com). As reported by the Telegraph: in the latest years, the area has undergone considerable transformation: it “has been cleaned up, if not wholly sanitized.” (telegraph.co.uk). The new building designed by Piano ,in collaboration with New York practice Copper Robertson, fits perfectly this renewal plan. Indeed, the district, “formerly a deserted industrial area, is now the place of fashion and art, of technological start-ups and of the trendiest meeting places.” (living.corriere.it)

Piano_Final3-kaOF-U50336222519EMB-1140x589@Living_MGslide — from living.corriere.it

Talking about the structure of the museum located along the Hudson River, the Whitney features indoor and outdoor galleries – 50,000+ square feet of indoor galleries + 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space on a series of rooftops (from nycedc.com). Moreover, “most impressive is the fifth floor’s showstopping 18,000-square-foot space, the largest column-free museum gallery in New York City”(from architecturaldigest.com). Finally, from the glass-doors and the numerous terraces, visitors can enjoy an amazing view of New York and the river.

As Piano said “a successful building always tells a story. You have to be able to produce rich narrative. An architect needs a good story to start with…and a good pen to write it” (form living.corriere.it) And at Shanghai Metal Corporation we really like this story!

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Karin-Jobst_dezeen_468_0 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Karin-Jobst_dezeen_468_3 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Nic-Lehoux_dezeen_468_1 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Nic-Lehoux_dezeen_468_6 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Nic-Lehoux_dezeen_468_9 — from dezeen.com

Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection metals such as steel which can be use for various applications. Check out our stainless steel products. We guarantee high quality and competitive prices.Feel free to contact us for further information. We have English-speaking staff who will be more than glad to help you.

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

Stefano // SMC Editor

Wearable Metal – SMC’s selection for you

Today Shanghai Metal Corporation is willing to challenge you! Tomorrow morning, on your way to school or work, try to count the number of people wearing metal items. Not only watches and jewelry; look for shoes, wearable electronic devices and so on. We do not commonly realize it, but metal is increasingly used in the production of items that we wear and use everyday. Take a look at the selection of the coolest metal wearable items that Shanghai Metal Corporation chose for you.

MI BAND

With its linear design and a competitive price, Mi Band is the smart wearable bracelet produced by the Chinese company Xiaomi. Among its functions, Mi Band unlocks you phone without a password, monitors fitness level and tracks sleeping quality. Mi Band is a small metal accessory featuring three LED lights and it comes with a silicon or real leather strap.

FRENDS HEADPHONES

Aesthetics and quality for the beautiful FRENDS Layla leather and iridescent metal headphones.

HIGH FASHION ITEMS

From Prada to Alexander McQueen, form Toga to Christian Louboutin, according to Vogue.it the 2015 Spring/Summer fashion season is characterized by the rock style. The new design of sunglasses, bags, jackets and shoes are inspired by rock stars. And metal features are a must.

SMARTWATCH

A mix of metal and other materials for the amazing smartwatches sponsored by Apple, Samsung, Sony and other leading companies in the electronic field.

Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection metals such as aluminum, copper, steel and so on. Great quality and competitive prices are our guidelines in order to satisfy clients from all over the world. Visit our website to learn more about our business and products and do not hesitate to contact us.

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

Stefano // SMC Editor

Metals & Co – more than a table

Today Shanghai Metal Corporation wants to take you again to one of the well-known capitals of fashion and design in the world: Milan. We have already mentioned the Italian city for hosting the upcoming 2015 EXPO, but this new article deals with the major Italian event for interior design: SaloneDelMobile.

“The Salone del Mobile is the global benchmark for the Home Furnishing Sector. An invaluable tool for the industry as well as an ongoing, quite extraordinary promotional vehicle. The Salone made its first appearance in 1961, designed to promote Italian furniture and furnishing accessories on the export market, and it has continued to do so impeccably, ensuring that the quality of Italian furniture is known to all four corners of the earth, and continues so to do, with half of all its visitors coming from around the world.” (from http://salonemilano.it/en-us)

Among the furniture presented, here is a selection of unique tables featuring metals and several material such as wood, glass and crystal. Because the metal goes with everything!! Take a look!

9-arredare-Domitalia-Euclide-03 — da cosedicasa.com

Euclide di Domitalia. Wodden top plus a support structure made of painted bent sheets steel.

8-arredare-Marioni-Anteprima-Salone-del-Mobile-2015_immagine_20150219112404 — da cosedicasa.com

Notorius di Marioni. The brass work structure and the oval top recall the 40s’ atmospheres.

6-arredare-dale-immagine_20150226103035 — da cosedicasa.com

B 110 di Dale Italia. Lacquered iron legs support an antique oak flat surface recovered by old Italian roofs.

4-arredare-marasrl-MG_2034_ombra — da cosedicasa.com

Argo di Mara Srl. A folding table with chromed metal conical legs, featuring lockable wheels.

5-arredare-cattelan-HYSTRIX_01 — da cosedicasa.com

Hystrix by Cattelan Italia. An innovative table made of glass and painted iron.

2-arredare-Calligaris-STATUS_rovere-chiaro — da cosedicasa.com

Status by Calligaris. An essential combination of wood and metal.

1-arredare-lema-MEMO_PieroLissoni — da cosedicasa.com

Memo di Lema. A linear assembly of fine wood and lacquered aluminum.

Take you time and come visiting our website. Did you know that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection of metals? You can for instance take a look at our aluminum department products. Do you need aluminium foils? We have them! Or maybe you are looking for aluminum sheet plate? We can help you! Not just aluminium, but also copper, steel and so on. Do not hesitate to contact us.

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

Stefano // SMC Editor

A House made of Copper

Copper is such an amazing material! That’s what we believe here at Shanghai Metal Corporation. And what we very much like about copper is its versatility and adaptability to different purposes. We have already discussed in this blog about container houses, but today we are willing to go beyond this topic showing you the latest news about copper houses!

The well-known architecture and design blog archdaily.com published an article on a very interesting project realized in Chondi, India. The house that you can see in the photos below features unique copper components. Here is how archdaily.com described the project designed by Studio Mumbai.

“The walls are finished in a celadon-coloured traditional plaster, smooth like human skin, and crackled like the ancient Chinese glaze, giving the transitory appearance of a fragmented ceramic container, rectilinear and encased with a lid of weathered copper. The continuous copper roof plane forms a secondary datum for the house, becoming a surface of potential occupation and cover.”

(“Copper House II / Studio Mumbai” 16 Apr 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 14 Apr 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=225365>)

1334192440-mainimage-ch2-front-entry-528x417 — from archdaily.com

Untitled design — photos from archdaily.com

From India we move now to Australia. The photos below show the project created by Takt | Studio for Architecture. Infolink website explains that this unique house is composed by three pavilions featuring copper.

“The pavilions are constructed in structural steel, feature hand waxed concrete flooring and are all clad in copper that came from KFC Roofing Supplies situated in Sydney. Copper was chosen by Takt in response to the coastal location and the effect the salty and humid atmosphere has on surfaces. The architects say the material has already developed a patina that will only improve with age.”

(“Small project turning heads: Copper House by Takt | Studio for Architecture” 16 Apr 2015. Infolink. Accessed 16 Apr 2015.)

12-2015-04-16_09-01-44-AM — from infolink.com.au

Untitled-1-2015-04-16_08-58-58-AM — from infolink.com.au

2015024788_1_TaktStudioforArchitecture_CopperHouse_ShantanuStarick-2015-04-16_08-59-30-AM — from infolink.com.au

Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection metals such as copper which can be use for various applications. Check out our superior quality copper foils. Feel free to contact us for further information. We have English-speaking staff who will be more than glad to help you.

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

Stefano // SMC Editor