Illuminating a Container Cave With Improvised Narrative

Holdup Architecture‘s artwork for 2011 Kobe Biennale competition is one of those examples that show how creativity and shipping containers are a match. We previously discussed the competition’s container guitar and container kaleidoscope, but this is something far beyond!

When a user enters the chalkboard-like container cave, there is nothing but darkness. It’s only when she approaches the center of the room, when the container’s UV start activating making one’s clothes glow in the darkness. The glow grows stronger as the user approaches a drawing board. The light become the brightest when the user draws patterns.

This work called “Off To On” that cost the artists $6000 was awarded with honors. The interior part was equipped with steel gratings, mesh sheets, rubber rolls and other below shown materials that enabled this self-made exhibition. They also utilized a special software for this purpose. 

The users are controlled only to the drawing interface. What the users draw is not controlled except by the surrounding intense darkness. What kind of story the visitor tells through her drawings tells a lot about the visitor herself. It is the surrounding that prevails her inner thoughts.

The company has described the Off to On as a setting where the visitor is assimilated to a speleologist discovering a primitive cave with prehistoric drawings painted on the rock, except that drawings are not relics from past ages. Basically, the whole space is dark until he draws on the table. Drawing is the only way to be involved and visualize the «self-made exhibition». (via HoldUp Architecture)

There are no words to describe this experience. You should try it yourself. If you are a container artist, you can always contact us in Shanghai Metal Corporation to find the necessary material. Our wide variety of shipping containers can be seen here. Check also our social media sites for future updates.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Holdup Architecture, Inhabitat

Please use the the social media boxes below to SHARE this article to reach all the container artists everywhere.

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The Artistic Masterpieces of Shipping Containers

Shipping containers can be turned into almost any kind of facilities, one of them being arts. In Japan there is actually a container art competition called Kobe Biennale that motivates contestants to realize their wild ideas on how the interior space of shipping containers can be used to express art.

The biannually held competition has produced various creative pieces of art.  In our former article we already discussed how Japanese artist turned a recycled shipping container into a playable guitar that lets visitors to know how it feels to be inside an instrument. In 2013 the designers Masakazu Shirane and Saya Miyazaki introduced a new container art concept.

Garden is a huge origami-inspired kaleidoscope built of 1,100 triangular mirrors that are connected by zippers. It’s big enough to walk inside for an immersive experience and small enough to fit in a shipping container. (via Gizmondo)

Even though these container artworks’ interior is rather extraordinary, their outer appearance can be described as being usual. Still, because shipping containers are made of corrugated steel walls, they can rather easily be modified by cutting and welding. Our article on South Korea’s container sunset observatory shows an example on how containers can be welded together in different angles. They can also be flipped upwards like the container train station in the Netherlands. They can also be turned into Japanese origami shaped structures like this instance in Rotterdam (via Superuse).

If you are a container artist looking for materials, we have them in Shanghai Metal Corporation. See our wide variety of shipping containers in our website. You can also contact us directly through this form. Check also our social media sites for future updates.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Core 77 , Kobe Biennale, Gizmondo, Superuse

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Music Made Physical in a Giant Container Guitar!

As our former article about Brazilian shipping container art showed, shipping containers can be utilized also in the art industry. Artists Marcelo Ertorteguy, Takahiro Fukuda, and Sara Valente have taken the concept of container art to the next level by creating the first playable shipping container guitar!

Like all of the guitars, this one also consists of metal strings, turning pegs, transducers and amplifiers. Eight strings are stretched eight meters across the container in a hyperbolic paraboloid shape. What’s more the strings glow in dark giving the spectators an unique visual experience of glowing strings dancing in the dark.

The artists wanted to create a space that allows people to feel how it feels to be inside a guitar. The Cargo Guitar allows visitors to sense music’s kinetic vibrations and physical responses in the container space. This innovative work is said to be a spatial intervention threshold between architecture, art and sound through a live interactive sound structure. It also won an award in the Art in a Container International Competition and will be on view at the Kobe Biennale in 2011.

 Shipping containers changed world in the 1950s by making international transportation easier and more cost-effective. They allowed millions of people around the world enjoy the imported goods they never had the chance to enjoy before. After that shipping containers became a mainstream in prefabricated architecture and affordable housing. Moreover, they are now also an instrument of art.

Shanghai Metal Corporation  is an international provider of shipping containers. Our wide variety can be seen in our website. We also reply to any inquiries about  Shipping containers or container buildings. Please do not hesitate to send yours (link). See us also on our social media sites.

    

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Via: Core 77 and Inhabitat

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São Paulo Presents Marvellous Container Art

The Brazilian city of São Paulo organized a design weekend during August 2014.  During the weekend some fabulous pieces of design art were presented. One of the providers was a Brazilian design company Contain[it] that transforms pieces of shipping containers into beautifully designed furniture.

Among the works on display were a lounger chair, lamps, vases, modular shelving, and a table that are made out of shipping container scraps.  The scraps are collected from the company’s shipping container projects that turn discarded containers into new spaces.

Shipping containers are becoming a mainstream construction material for green and environmentally friendly construction projects. In general, the world is suffering from oversupply of shipping containers because they are seldom reused for shipping.

Shipping container architecture solves the problem of used shipping containers turning into waste, but only partially. Shipping container houses, villas, hotels etc. need to be modified through welding which creates waste of container scraps.

Contain[it] solves this problem by giving the container scraps a new life and therefore creating art with zero waste. The company’s mission is to create art that gives an impact in an intelligent way. The company really gives a great contribution for the well-being of nature.

Today sustainable architecture and shipping containers are becoming synonyms. No other building material can be same time as durable and low-cost as shipping containers. Shipping container architecture enables designers to create environmentally friendly construction that can easily be retrofitted to any natural environment.

As an experienced provider of shipping containers, Shanghai Metal Corporation is proud of serving its international clients as well as giving a major environmentally friendly contribution to the construction industry. You can also familiarize yourself with our product offering by visiting our website. You can also send us an inquiry about any product you have in mind, and our English speaking staff will give you assistance. Please also visit our social media sites in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: São Paulo Design Weekend, Contain[it], Inhabitat