Container building is a very young branch of the current construction field and can be applied to various building types. In 2010, the Ljubljana Museum of Architecture and Design hosted the world’s first exhibition of container architecture.
The form of container building is: using ISO Shipping Containers to combine into various forms of small and medium-sized buildings.
Whether it’s temporary buildings, public buildings, family homes, event spaces or anything in between, Container buildings can do the job.
The advantages are:
- Prefabricated Modularity, Robust and Corrosion Resistant, Mobility, Temporary, Recyclable and Reusable.
- It can be assembled quickly, with low cost, environmental protection, and at the same time, it has a special artistic form.
- Container buildings have advantages over other building forms under certain circumstances, Such as tight budgets or short deadlines, or very demanding terrain.
There are two types of construction:
- Overall modification
- Retrofitting existing buildings with sheets and components
Future container buildings will pay more attention to ecology, energy self-sufficiency and off-grid.
At present, there are some small concept projects for reference.
Future House by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen.
Nearly 100 such prefabricated houses have been built, fully realizing ecology, energy, and off-grid.
Now let’s talk about the container retail shop that everyone is concerned about.
1. Where to put container retail shop
Due to the modularity of the container retail shop, the architectural space form is suitable both for large spaces such as suburbs, plazas, temporary events, ports, etc., as well as for densely populated areas or areas where space saving is required.
2. Thermal insulation and cold protection The use of non-toxic ceramics, thermal insulation layers, double-layer roofs, etc. can solve some of the problems, and at the same time rebuild the ventilation and heating system. Buildings that do not rely on the material of the container itself can rebuild the skin.
3. For places where the transportation is not densely populated, use the form of freight and use cranes and forklifts for transportation and installation. Densely populated areas need to be dismantled and transported, but there are currently folded containers, which are much more convenient :
4. Construction permit
Most urban areas are doable, at least I haven’t encountered a ban so far.
However, some approvals and acceptances are required to reach the standard of use.
There are also no hard prohibitions in the current building codes of most countries in the world, so it is not a big problem.
If the original building is modified, you need to have the right to use the original building, as well as the permission of its owner, the construction department, and the city management department.
If it already has ownership, you’ll have to remove all the links between owner and container. If the building is to be rebuilt on vacant land, or the original building must be demolished and rebuilt, it must have the ownership or right to use the land, and at the same time, it must meet the local architectural planning standards and pass relevant approvals.
Now let’s make a summary
Advantages and disadvantages of container retail shop
Advantages
- It is convenient for transportation, and suitable for units or individuals who frequently replace construction sites. The container retail shop is not only strong but also durable. The whole body is composed of steel, which has strong anti-seismic ability, anti-deformation function, good sealing performance, and strict and meticulous craftsmanship. Good guarantee that it has a tight seal and will not get water.
- The prefab is built on a standard steel chassis, which can generate many combined spaces, such as conference rooms, dormitories, kitchens, bathrooms, etc. The standard width is 2.4m, the height is 2.2m, and the length is 4m to 12m.
- Easy disassembly and assembly, superior performance, stable and firm, good shockproof performance, waterproof, fireproof and anti-corrosion, light weight, the house is an integral structure, with a frame inside, the wall is made of steel plate, which can be veneered by wood, which can be migrated as a whole and has a service life of up to 20+ years.
Shortcomings
- The fire resistance performance. When the combustion temperature reaches 600 ℃, the steel structure will deform or even melt. Moreover, the steel structure is easy to rust, and the construction party must do a good job of anti-corrosion.
- Relevant supervision agencies can also inspect the construction process of housing containers, including the supervision of procurement projects, as well as a certain degree of management, evaluation, review and selection of manufacturers, design review, typhoon prevention calculation review, Inspection and certification of raw materials and components, quality control of production process, circuit and hydraulic test before leaving the factory, control of production schedule and delivery time, and pre-delivery inspection, etc. In a word, the whole process of building a container retail shop should be carried out under the supervision of a third party to ensure its quality.
In short, container retail shop have entered the public’s attention as the latest living choice for people. There may be many people who still have their own questions and attitudes towards this kind of house. But in any case this is very likely to start the next era of housing. Now you understand the Container Booth, and have a certain concept of its advantages and shortcomings. You must have been able to accurately judge whether it meets your needs.
