Turning a shipping container into a home, cafe, bar or shop is a win win for everybody. They’re used to ship goods all over the world and are built to last. Leaving them to rust and rot once they are no longer useful should be a crime. If you consider the energy and resources used to produce them, upcycling shipping containers into buildings is most sensible thing to do. Especially from an environmental perspective.
More and more of us are waking up to the world climate emergency. Sustainability is more important then ever. Sustainable methods of construction hugely reduce our carbon footprint. If we use shipping containers as a building material, there will be less mining of natural resources. Its really that simple. Upcycling shipping containers into pop-up cafés, shops, exhibition stands and houses has always been trendy and now its eco-friendly too!
Shipping containers were first used as secure storage in the 1960’s. Seen as almost bomb proof, they first became popular with industries such as manufacturing and farming. Factory owners used them as overspill warehousing. Farmers used them to store expensive equipment. The same industries then started using shipping containers as offices and farm shops. It wasn’t long before they caught the attention of architects, always eager to be more creative and ahead of the cure.
What are upcycled shipping containers used for today?
Appealing to architects and construction companies alike, shipping containers can become anything imaginable. They aren’t just used for storage. Many of the coolest pop-up café’s, homes and shops all began life as humble shipping containers. Think hotels, whole shopping centres, museums, colleges, even mobile football stadiums. All built with the trusty shipping container. They inspire creative thinking for designers and the end results are often stunning. Its a full on feel good way to build things in the modern age. The options are endless when choosing upcycled shipping containers as a building material.
Some of the many things built with upcycled shipping containers;
- Pop-up Cafés
- Exhibition Stands
- Shops & Retail Outlerts
- Homes & Pop-up Accommodation
- Holiday Pods
- Hotels
- Museums
- Offices
The benefits of upcycling shipping containers
There are many benefits to using shipping containers as a building material. Now more importantly then ever, the environmental benefits are massive. Climate change is the most serious challenge we have to deal with today. The more we can do to combat this, the better for all us. With so many politicians unwilling to act on the climate emergency, its important to set an example. People and businesses deciding to use shipping containers instead of traditional building materials, sends a clear message. Not only to government, family and friends but business customers too.
Used shipping containers are also relatively cheap to buy. They’re robust and able to withstand extreme weather conditions. Its easy to chop up and modify one or more shipping containers. Combining various size containers together can yield endless possibilities. Standard ISO shipping containers come in two common lengths of 20ft (6.06m) or 40ft (12.2m). All containers are 8ft (2.44m) wide and 8ft 6in (2.59m) high so they make very practical living and working spaces.
How to get started
There are some risks when buying used shipping containers. Toxic chemicals may leak into the wooden floor. This is why we recommend going to a reputable company like us. We will not only purchase the containers for you, we will strip them down, replace the wooden floor and repaint the walls, making them safe for human habitation. All this needs to be done before you even are start refurbishing. You could do this yourself, but you might not get it right. Its simply not worth the risk.
What we do;
- Listen to your requirements
- Design your new project
- Purchase the used containers and make them safe
- Carry out the full conversion and build process
- Deliver your product
So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to see what we can do for you, and do your bit for a more sustainable future!
