CARGOTECTURE

Abstract— The importance of reusing and recycling of materials is increasing in sustainable design and architecture. There have been many attempts in reusing of many materials, like steel containers that are used for creating interesting architectural spaces. This paper is an attempt to study on shipping containers and explore the ways of using these, which are usually left unused which increase in number daily. This type of architecture aims to reuse these containers and creating spaces that can have human habitation not only in small scale but also in large scale, and many temporary structures can be built within limited time. This in turn leads to environment friendly buildings.

Index Terms—container housing, container architecture, cargo architecture.

I. INTRODUCTION

HIPPING container architecture is a type of architecture that is generally characterized by the re-use of steel

shipping as a structural element and architectural envelope that can host a specific function or a human activity. It is noticed that people use shipping containers for building their houses taking in consideration of short time period and with future possibilities of moving the structure and adding more spaces.

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The first shipping container was invented and patented in 1956 by an American named Malcolm Mc Lean, he was a trucker. Later Philip Clark and Nicholas Lacey did the first document citing the use of shipping containers as a building material was published in 1962. In 1994 Stewart Brand published a book how buildings learn on the ideas how to convert shipping containers into offices spaces.

II.WHAT IS SHIPPING CONTAINER

A shipping container is a steel frame usually cuboid with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodals shipment’s to the corrugated boxes.

There are various types of shipping containers varying from refillable to standardized containers.

Though these containers were made in an intension of reusing many are left unused, after transporting the containers are left in the ports of the cities.

A. Types of shipping containersThere are different types of containers dry cargo container’s

which is the most commonly used container, refrigerated containers and special containers. These containers have the main load being transferred through the corners of the containers.

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B. Size Containers are available in different sizes, the size of

containers depend on the type of shipping containers.

Description of dry cargo container

III. LIFE SPAN OF CONTAINERS

Based on the use intended on these containers, these are made to fulfill at least a one decade lifespan target. They are made extremely resilient and secure to facilitate safe cargo transit through long distances. Most containers in these days are expected to have finished a one decade lifespan.

Reusing Shipping Containers and Creating Architectural spaces (March 2016)

K.A.Shahana, SEM VI student, KMEA College of Architecture

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CARGOTECTURE

IV. ADVANTAGES OF CONTAINER

Shipping containers have many advantages which helps in creating spaces. These containers have high strength and durability. These are designed to carry heavy loads and to be stacked in high columns. Containers are modular , they have same width and most have two standard height and length measurements and such they provide modular elements that can be combined into larger structures .This simplifies the design and transportation and planning. As these are already designed to interlock for ease of mobility during transportation, structural construction is completed by simply emplacing them. Due to container’s modular design additional construction is as easy as stacking more containers.The welding and cutting of steel is considered to be specialized labor and can increase construction expenses, yet overall it is still lower than conventional construction. These prefabricated modules can also be easily transported by ship, truck or rail, because they already conform to standard shipping sizes. Containers are available across the globe.

Many used containers are available at an amount that is low compared to a finished structure build by other labor intensive means such as bricks and mortar which also require larger more expansive foundations.

A 40ft shipping container weights over 3500kg. When up cycling shipping containers, thousands of kilograms of steel are saved. In addition building with containers, the amount of traditional building materials needed is reduced.

V. DISADVANTAGES OF CONTAINER

The shipping container has a great disadvantage as it is made of steel, which conducts heat very well; containers used for human occupancy in an environment with extreme temperature variations will normally have to be better insulated than most brick, block or wood structures.

Although these shipping containers can be combined together to create bigger spaces, creating spaces different to their default size is expensive and time consuming. These containers may rust unless the steel is well sealed and insulated. The size and weight of the container’s will in most cases require them to be placed by a crane , which will increase the total expenses, as traditional materials like bricks can be moved by using hands.

VI. FOUNDATION TYPES

The most commonly used type of foundation is concrete piers. Concrete piers are a type of shallow foundation and are one of the simplest and cheapest routes to go. They are concrete cubes which have reinforced steel bars within them. A reinforced steel bar is either a steel bar or a mesh of steel wires and is used to strengthen the concrete. The main advantage of this type of foundation is, because the containers are up off the ground it allows for ventilation and prevents condensation forming underneath the container. Other type of foundation used is raft foundation, which is more time consuming and more expansive than pier foundation but it is an exceptionally good foundation to use on softer soil types. Advantages are that it is quick and easy to build also no hollow spaces n the foundation they are less vulnerable to termite infestation. Disadvantage is lack of access to utility lines once concrete has hardened and there is potential for heat losses where ground temperatures drop below the interior temperature.

CONCLUSION

Although having a very systematic and regular shape, shipping containers could be used to create not only functional spaces, but also various configurations of architectural programs or functions, that vary from a very simple residential unit, to a small office building extending to a shopping mall, that hosts bigger number of users. Many attempts have been done globally to create interesting architectural spaces that can be constructed in a relatively short interval of time, with a reasonable cost.

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