| In this day and age, green construction methods are | | | | Another art-related building project that uses shipping |
| definitely in style. Architects, home builders, and | | | | containers is the Nomadic Museum. This museum, |
| entrepreneurs are all looking for ways to creatively | | | | designed by architect Shigeru Ban and artist Gregory |
| reuse materials to create new, efficient, and unique | | | | Colbert, is constructed entirely out of cargo |
| buildings. Perhaps the most interesting green | | | | containers. Due to its modular nature, it is easily |
| architectural movement of the last decade uses a | | | | deconstructed, transported, and reassembled in |
| construction material that is as commonplace as it is | | | | various locations. So far, the Nomadic Museum has |
| efficient: shipping containers. | | | | hosted exhibitions in New York, Santa Monica, Venice, |
| Shipping containers (also called "cargo containers") | | | | Tokyo, and Mexico City. There seems to be no |
| make an ideal building material because they are | | | | restriction on where it might end up next, thanks to |
| plentiful, weather-proofed, and built to last. With the | | | | the versatility of shipping container architecture. |
| tons of freight moved every year across the | | | | Shipping container houses are also a very popular |
| oceans, there is a massive surplus of cargo | | | | building project using this handy material. These kinds |
| containers around the world. Both used and new | | | | of houses are an ideal building project because all of |
| containers can be purchased very inexpensively due | | | | their architectural materials can be shipped to site, |
| to this surplus. And, since they are already built to | | | | then modified to meet the particular specifications of |
| withstand the rigors of sea travel, they can endure | | | | the project. You can create a small cargo container |
| any type of weather in any location. | | | | cabin in the woods, or an extensive apartment |
| These containers can be easily modified in a variety | | | | complex in an urban setting. Containers can be used |
| of ways. All they require are some minor welding and | | | | alone for a small residence, or combined in a modular |
| metalwork, and they can be reworked into | | | | fashion to create more complex, multi-story project. |
| architecturally viable shapes. And, due to the uniform | | | | Architects are also finding cargo container housing to |
| and modular nature of rectangular shipping containers, | | | | be an excellent solution for low-income housing since |
| they come pre-constructed in the shape of rooms. | | | | the building materials are so cheap and plentiful. |
| Architects are exploring the endless possibilities of | | | | Low-income shipping container housing projects have |
| construction using shipping containers. In Berkeley, | | | | already been created in London, England, Karratha, |
| California, an art group constructed The Shipyard, a | | | | Australia, and Amsterdam, Holland. |
| collaborative art studio and gallery space constructed | | | | In the future, we will likely see more and more cargo |
| entirely out of cargo containers. Twenty-seven | | | | container building projects as the practice gains |
| shipping containers surround an 11,000 square foot | | | | popularity. But for now, cargo containers are still |
| outdoor lot. Each artist in residence is assigned a | | | | cheap and readily available. Some companies even sell |
| studio within a container. At this site, artists create | | | | kits to create your own custom container home. So |
| large scale mechanical, metal, and kinetic artwork. | | | | if you are considering a creative building project in |
| These works would be impossible to construct in a | | | | the near future, think about how you can incorporate |
| more confined gallery space, but thanks to the | | | | this special kind of eco-friendly architecture in your |
| spaciousness, durability, and cheapness of cargo | | | | plan. It's a great way to be unique, and reusing |
| containers, creativity thrives in this unique community | | | | materials is great for the environment as well. |
| of artists. | | | | |