The Many Architectural Applications of Shipping Containers vol.2

In volume one, we discussed homes, hotels, and retail outlets and their benefits. They are only a fraction of what you can do with shipping containers. The volume two will be about container facilities for relaxation and discuss swimming pools, saunas, and bathhouses.

A traditional swimming pool’s installation costs might be between US$6000 and $50,000 not to mention excavation and decking costs. A shipping container, on the other hand, can be purchased with approximately $2000.  The additional costs consists of making the pool water proof by lining the interior with a water-proof lining or welding and painting the interior. Also, regular pool filters, pumps and fixtures should be fitted to the container as well.

Shipping container swimming pool is a nice DIY project. For example Stefan Beese, an experimental architect used a 30 cubic cargo container to turn his New Orlean’s backyard into a luxurious swimming zone. What’s more, he only needed about $5,000 to $7,000 to do that. You can read his whole story through this link.

Shipping containers can be now used as saunas. A Canadian design studio Castor has designed the first container sauna.

The 8 ft container is a fully-operational sauna box that uses wood for heating and solar energy for lighting. The mobile sauna also comes with an integrated iPod stereo and an electric guitar hook-up. Also additional creature comforts such as a magnetic truck light, castor stool, and bronze antlers are included.

A company named SOAK has an eco-friendly container bathhouse project. This container complex will be able gain 100% of its power from solar energy. The bathhouse also gets a substantial of its water from nature by harvesting and filtering rainwater. They will also reuse the greywater by directing it to their patio’s garden meadow.

The company wanted to shipping containers because they are inexpensive to occupy, easy to move and quick to retrofit. Shipping containers also offer a durable and good-looking aesthetics that will support their vision.  SOAK’s goal is to build a bathhouse for “healthy hedonists” that want make an effort to be healthy but do not want to be dogmatic or ideological about it. What’s more they want make their business sociable and sustainable.

Shipping containers combined supporting construction material is all one needs to build their pools, saunas or even bathhouses. We in Shanghai Metal Corporation sell them both. Please visit our websites on containers and construction material for detailed descriptions. Check also our social media platforms.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Sources: See our articles on container swimming pools, saunas, and bathhouses.

Continue to chapter 3

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Constructions That Defy the Limits of Shipping Container Architecture

The most shipping container structures consist of only one container. These kind of structures make good micro-homes, offices or pop-up stores. Still, it is more common to build bigger container constructions. 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. The residents will also have their own protected parking garage. Its tankless water heating system and ventilation will guarantee low energy costs. (via Inhabitat)

This shipping container complex will have an area of 270,000 sq ft for shipping containers which refers to approximately 700 shipping containers. New York’s SuperPier is US$200 million project that will include a restaurant and a retail complex with bathhouses, sky parks, performance spaces, a rock climbing gym and a garden. The complex will be built to upgrade the existing installation and will be opened during summer 2015. (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. The complex will be built to be eco-friendly by integrating a rainwater reuse system and energy-efficient ventilation/insulation system. (via Inhabitat)

So how large can shipping container complexes become? Well, containers are designed to hold heavy loads of weight on their four corner pillars that allow the piling of several containers. Building tall container towers is limited only by the properties of forklifts and cranes. Because containers are made of a simple steel structure that allows simple operations of cutting and welding, the width of complexes is also not limited.

 

Actually, some shipping container constructions are built to be expanded as necessary. For instance a container bungalow in Spain shows this example. Therefore, at least in theory, there seems to be no limits for the size of shipping container complexes.

No matter how big the world’s shipping container complexes will grow in the future, Shanghai Metal Corporation will keep on providing prefabricated shipping container construction and shipping containers internationally. If your business is need of them, please contact us with this form. Please also follow us on these social media platforms.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

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Container B&B Completes Your Dream Vacation in Spain!

If you’re planning a vacation in Majorca, this is the place where you want to lodge! Located 10 minutes from the capital Palma, there is a luxurious bed and breakfast facility that is made out of three shipping containers.

The “Fly House” B&B has basically everything that everybody wants from their holiday accommodation. It has a modern open planned living area with full kitchen,  living room and a rooftop bedroom.  The Fly House is also  equipped with high-speed Internet and cable TV.

This holiday bungalow also has an outdoor deck with a swimming pool and a BBQ dining area. The outdoor facility has also a private Japanese garden and a hammock for relaxation.

Even though its space is very limited, the room feels really spacious. Its spiral staircase saves a lot of space. Also its shelves and sofa can can be closed and opened with a push of a button for extra space.

This container complex was prefabricated off-site and plunked with the least amount of energy, waste and cost. Thanks to shipping containers, this facility can be easily expanded and transferred to a different location. Its solar panels enable energy efficient and low-cost electricity usage. Floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate the room with natural light. Rainwater is harvested by gutters and reused for outdoor plants.

The Fly House designer company Espai Fly would like to see their container housing business expanding from hotels to also cafes, retail outlets and even private homes.

 

Shipping containers seem to be the superior material for creating affordable real-estate that is both luxurious and affordable. For instance this private bungalow costs only about 110 US dollars a day. You can check the current prices and book from here.

While container architecture is going mainstream, Shanghai Metal Corporation continues in fulfilling shipping container orders from around the globe. If you wish to order this superior material, please send us an inquiry. You may also visit our container house page. Follow us also in these social media platforms.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Sources: Architizer, designboom, Espai Fly

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