Comments on: PREFAB FRIDAY: Container City in London

By: zakir abowath

zakir abowath — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:05:57 +0000

We are manufacturer of supplier of refurbished containerized modules. We like to develop this business and bring in innovation in design, quality and workmanship. We are looking for expert who have practical experience of working in this sector. Any body interested and having qualification and experience please write to email
zakir@zias.com.pk

By: Ted Barns

Ted Barns — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:54:34 +0000

Would be interested in how the project mets the Building Code for Fire, Egress and Sound etc.

By: Bondwalker

Bondwalker — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:19:52 +0000

Cool idea!

By: Ryan Bass

Ryan Bass — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:36:56 +0000

WOULD YOU FOLKS LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING AESTHETICALLY COMPELLING, CONTEXTUAL, AND ABOVE ALL ENVIRONMENTAL WITH SHIPPING CONTAINERS? CHECK OUT MY THESIS:

http://www.arch.ttu.edu/courses/2006/fall/5395/390/Bass/

By: Jasper

Jasper — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 01:48:28 +0000

NO WAY DO THESE THINGS LOOK BAD. LIke anything else, it all depends on who puts the paint on the canvas. There is a project in Redondo Beach, California by DeMaria Architects. Coolest looking container project to date in the US. Check out the link on LA Curbed

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2007/05/redondo_beach_c.php

California is way cool. I heard Pamela Anderson lives in this place. Time for a road trip!

By: Bob Ellenberg

Bob Ellenberg — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 18:41:42 +0000

I have a very different perspective on “hiding” them. If most of them are obviously containers, they represent the one vote the above writer refers to. That is because few will find them appealing and there will be far more resistance, NIMBY and zoning regulations to overcome. Use them in such a way that they simply look like well designed modern architecture where they will receive more market acceptance and there will be a lot more of them.

By: Brian Jewett

Brian Jewett — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 12:26:54 +0000

To hide the fact that these units are made from shipping containers would be to kill off what is probably the most important environmental benefit of this type of recycled architecture. No mater how green your materials and techniques are, how much green energy you generate, and how many trees you plant, one building can have only so much direct effect on the environment. What this building does best, far better than most green building projects, is comunicate. The fact that these are obviously recycled shipping containers, and that they’re cool and hip and getting all this attention, has a truly global impact.

In a lot of ways it’s like politics. As the average voter you have one vote. You do your best to use it responsibly and to good effect but if everyone around you votes for Bush your one vote doesn’t get you very far. However, if you become a candidate and run for office, your influence and effect on the world skyrockets. Now you influence thousands, millions or even billions of votes.

A project like this really grabs peoples attention. It plants the seed in in peoples minds from which the whole society’s environmental action grows. To hide these containers would be comparable to giving this project a blow job and waving a soiled blue dress in front of the media. ;-)

By: bing

bing — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:36:25 +0000

Re: the “ghetto” look, it reminds me more of ‘Tokyo modern.’ I get that for many fashionistas, it’s definitely a cool look. For the rest of us, though, I wonder if it would be fairly inexpensive to just skin the containers to give them a different look, thereby using the industrial recycling without presenting an industrial feel.

(By the way, I believe Il Delfino’s comments translate as “Sincere compliments on the idea. I had heard this spoken of and it’s incredible how it can be transformed from recycled materials.”)

bing (fan of pre-fab and student of Italian)

By: jim

jim — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:45:32 +0000

Looks like a low rent vertical trailer park.

By: Asa

Asa — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:52:20 +0000

I think its great
However the Ghetto look will depend entirely on the residents maintainence and upkeep efforts
The concept is however great in that it works well in practice, unlike some of the other prefab articles this one is REAL

By: keith

keith — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:04:41 +0000

This project has been an amazing source of inspiration for my own home – zigloo domestique
http://www.zigloo.ca
I am sure this kind of thinking will inspire designers to look beyond the traditional building techniques for projects great and small.
-Kudos to UrbanSpace, Lot-eK and everyone else that are taking part in this revolution

By: Anila

Anila — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:20:56 +0000

I like the idea of using the container and I understand the entire “ghetto” look. That could probably be interupted with the addition of some greenery (trees, shrubs).

By: Architecture Fan

Architecture Fan — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:22:27 +0000

I do not see these aging well. In a couple years, they will look like third-world ghettos.

By: Il Delfino

Il Delfino — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 11:16:11 +0000

Complimenti davvero per l’idea. Ne avevo già sentito parlare ed è incredibile come si può trasformare del materiale da riciclo.
Alessandra

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:48:58 +0000

The USM link is actually http://www.urbanspace.com – though that other company could totally benefit from this trend if they thought about it.