Shipping containers can be repurposed into anything from a tiny home to an office, communal gardens, to plug-in Intensive Critical Unit pods. The containers are modular, compact, and can be designed to fit any purpose you desire; the possibilities are endless!
In June, CAPSA Containers hosted its first design and architecture competition, called ‘Design Tomorrow,’ which focuses on innovative and alternative construction solutions. After two months, the winners were chosen: First place was awarded to ‘Bureau Agreste,’ second place was ‘Flowers in the Garden,’ and third went to ‘Side Up Project.’
The construction industry is accountable for over 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and urgently needs to be reinvented. These repurposed shipping container designs can help us build more sustainably and responsibly – they are ecological, economic, use limited natural resources, have a low environmental footprint, and meet societal challenges.
The CAPSA team said:
Bio-based materials, recycled, reused, smart, and sustainable construction will be our tools to meet these challenges. In the diversity of offers that the construction offers today, the marine container is an alternative offering a great number of assets: modularity, mobility, scalability.
First Place
Bureau Agreste, designed by Hugues Hernandez, Ariane Marty, and Morgan Baufils, is a modern shipping container office that offers professional, motivating, and dedicated workspace, as well as eco-friendly features.
The Agreste office has two levels and is structured around a central shared space that encourages productivity and promotes exchanges. Other more intimate areas are also included for holding appointments or meetings. The container is elevated, providing an open ground space that can be used for organizing outdoor activities, hosting an event, or even parking.
It also features a rainwater harvesting system and several solar panels on the roof, making it ideal for off-grid locations – where businesses can set up and save on the high rent they would typically pay in big cities.
The winning design team explained:
The project aims to a certain resilience and seeks to minimize its ecological impact by the use of recycling end-of-life containers, rainwater recovery tank, photovoltaic panels, dry toilets, wood stove, ceiling fan, or even the use of bio-sourced materials from the local industry.
Second Place
Flowers in the Garden, designed by Eu Jin Lim, was intended to be a communal workspace/garden hybrid. The office integrates the natural environment as part of the entire workspace.
The structure is organic yet playful, with soft screens and green-buffering spaces that create a diverse ecosystem that’s always ‘breathing’ and visually pleasing. This office design lets you stay distanced but not socially separated and offers a natural environment to look at when you want a break from staring at your computer screen.
Previous studies have shown that spending time in nature boosts health and happiness. At the same time, others found that trees and greenery reduce crime. Considering these facts, id say an office/garden hybrid is an excellent idea!
Third Place
Side Up Project, designed by Mengfan Sha, Wang, and Zhang, transforms shipping containers into a partly-open space that encourages productivity and collaboration.
It arranges the containers like LEGO blocks and integrates multiple ‘side-up’ containers to create a flex space that could be used for meetings, work, camps, activities, exhibitions, or events.
This design is ideal for future sustainable working communities. It turns the closed, individual containers into a connected unit allowing people to move freely through the area while creating smaller spaces that can be used for specific purposes.
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