taiwan – Shanghai Metal Corporation

Metro Stations Are Not Just Rats And Garbage

Metro with its metro stations its a necessary way of transportation in big cities. People usually associate under-ground metro stations with garbage, smell, homeless people, rats, noise and stressed people running to work or school. However some cities in the world can be proud of beautiful architectural stations with an amazing interiors.

T-Centralen, Stockholm, Sweden

In 1950’s artists Vera Nilsson and Siri Derkert suggested that art should be integrated into a new subway system. Nowadays, the whole Stockholm’s Metro system is a large art museum, where every station displays artworks. This is the most beautiful one.

Komsomolskaya, Moscow, Russia

This metro station in Moscow boasts a huge dome, Corinthian columns and eight ceiling mosaics, depicting Russian heroes. Artists Pavel Korin and architect Alexey Schusev got the Stalin prize for their work.

Formosa Boulevard, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

It is well-known for its “Dome of Light” which is the largest glass work in the world. It is made of 4,500 curved stained glass panels. Formosa Boulevard is the best station for its daylight.

City Hall Station, New York, USA

This is the grandest New York’s subway architecture – arched ceilings peeking through to City Hall Park above.

Antwerp Central Station, Belgium

Antwerp Central metro Station was awarded by The British-American magazine Mashable as the most beautiful railway station of the world.

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers customers stainless steel widely used for escalators and other applications in under-ground stations, also supplies steel building materials for many projects. For more information visit our website or send us inquiry. English speaking staff will guide you further. Download a new application by scanning QR code below or follow us on Social Media.

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Read more articles written by this author here.

Credits : boredpanda.com, bbc.com, travelandleisure.com, wikipedia.org, googleimages

The Container Shops of Alluring Asian Beauties

In our previous articles, we have discussed how shipping containers can be turned into convenient mobile pop-up stores. Container shops have already been applied all over the world. At least, this peculiar example from Taiwan gives some evidence to that theory.

In Taiwan there is a unique business concept of selling paans. They are betel nuts wrapped in a betel leaf that together make a powerful drug that gives energy boosts like caffeine. It is also a very dangerous drug that causes oral cancer. It is mostly used by truck drivers to stay awake during night shifts. Selling betel nuts is only allowed outside the capital Taipei.

The vendors of betel nuts are young local girls that sell them from small glazed kiosks. In order to attract drivers along the road, the girls wear revealing clothes. The transactions take place outside the kiosk letting the drivers stay in their cars.

A Polish architectural photographer Magda Biernat discovered a set of scattered shipping container betel nut stores when she visited Taiwan with his husband. During her journey she compiled a set of images that were displayed in her exhibition, “The Betel Nut Beauties”. (via Inhabitat)

Even though we might have negative opinions about the ethics of this business, it won’t deny the fact how shipping containers success in constantly defining new business concepts. This story also shows how fully operational real estate can be built in an environmentally friendly way by using abandoned materials.

Shanghai Metal Corporation is experienced provider of shipping containers. Our large variety of containers ensures that you will find the best product for you. We also offer prefabricated container buildings for office spaces and housing. Check our websites for detailed specifications or send us questions through this form. Visit also our social media platforms.

Tuomas P. // SMC Editor

Pictures and original articles: Inhabitat, CNN, Wikipedia

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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Dream Home Furnishing With IKEA’s Very Affordable Little Helper

If you ask any present college student or graduate where they bought their furniture while at school, odds are IKEA is high up on that list. As of January 2008, IKEA became the world’s largest furniture retailer thanks to their product management, placement and quality given to their customers. IKEA’s product lines range from your everyday table spoon and doorknobs to larger media furniture, sofas, and full furnished kitchens. With style and functionality at it’s forth front, IKEA needed a material that would both look aesthetically pleasing with their items and durable-stainless steel was the answer.

Using China as the main example; out of their 2615 products on sale, 544 have in one way shape or form stainless steel. With over 20% of their products in China containing stainless steel, it’s a great thing that most of IKEA’s stainless steel articles are sourced from Asia, including China at 90%, Taiwan and Korea with the final 10%. The ability to adapt stainless steel on their existing products gave them that hint of style they needed.

With IKEA’s popularity at a world’s recognition, they have attracted new and modern designers. The ability for these designers to use stainless steel in their products has helped promote IKEA product as not just functional but stylish, as well as potentially raise their revenue. With some products, consumers have a choice of whether or not to include stainless steel in their product. For example, you could buy a bed frame and keep the wooden legs that it comes with, or opt to spend $20 more on those stainless steel legs which makes your bed look better. At the end of the day more people choose to spend just a little bit more to make their bed look sleeker and better looking.

The example of the bed legs is just one small one, but it shows the significance a small change can make. Stainless steel has absolutely helped IKEA pave the way to different markets with their high quality and affordable products.

It is this same idea of affordability and quality that we here at Shanghai Metal Corporation bring to the table with your stainless steel needs. 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: Ikea, Stainless Steel Report SMC stainless steel pipe

Mario B.//SMC Editor