Thinking inside the box

The conversion of shipping containers to shelters is certainly not a new idea. A whole discipline within architecture continues to recognize and develop the flexibility of the standard steel intermodal container as a structural element, because of their inherent strength, wide availability and relatively low cost. While certainly not perfect solutions (there are some significant advantages and disadvantages) some creative people are building some pretty neat structures that are green in terms of renewable energy features and adaptive reuse of abundant materials.

The Future Shack was actually conceived by architect, Sean Godsell, in 1985 but it wasn't until 1999 that the prototype for mass-produced, relocatable emergency and relief housing was actually developed. According to the Architecture Australia website: "The house has applications for a variety of needs – post flood, fire, earthquake, typhoon, or similar natural disasters; temporary housing; third world housing; remote housing. The main volume of the building is a recycled 20-foot shipping container, a universal module that is mass-produced and inexpensive, robust and durable. As a basic unit the container can be stockpiled for use as required by aid-coordination agencies, or in locations prone to disaster. It is designed to be shipped, and is easily transported by road and rail. All infrastructure for handing the module is available throughout the world.

The unit is totally self-contained. Packed inside are water tanks, solar power cells, access ramp, roof ladder, parasol roof and supporting structure. A satellite receiver and external light bracket act to brace the glass interior doors in transit. The container itself has had minimal exterior changes – several additional slots to accept the structure, a top-hinged front opening for the entrance, and a series of operable panels in the roof for ventilation – but nothing detracts from either its seaworthiness or its ability to be stacked or handled identically to its unmodified kind. It remains a container conceptually to Godsell. The clean skin of the interior is packed with his tools for re-habitation, along with, one might expect, additional clothing, food and blankets for the dispossessed. Future Shack can be fully erected in 24 hours and is totally self-sustainable, capable of generating electricity and communications. Future Shack and Godsell were featured at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in 2004.

The HybridSeattle c640 base camp was designed as a trail-building outpost to be used in rural Siberia.

The camp was intended to house up to 8 workers during the evenings and provide office space during the day but it certainly wouldn't be a leap to imagine how it could be reconfigured to function as an emergency shelter. The 640 square feet of living space is augmented by a semi-sheltered outdoor space. The structure is designed to be moved on a flatbed truck and requires simple tools to complete set up once on site. Roofs can accommodate rainwater collection systems and solar panels. They are very securable and can even be outfitted with LoJack tracking systems and internet connectivity. Units can be stacked to create a second floor.

Gorilla Designs was started by people who went through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and afterward relocated to Salt Lake City to put their experience to practice. Their mission statement says: It is clear that America and the rest of the world are approaching a critical mass in terms of the energy crisis. The population is growing while our resources are dwindling. We believe that we can collectively prepare for this crisis by designing living spaces that are super energy efficient and eventually self-sustaining. Sounds like a GreenZoneSolution to me!

Their website describes the construction of their product: The cornerstone of this home is its use of recycled shipping containers to create the structure of the house. Shipping containers are typically discarded after only 10-15 years of use. After they are discontinued they simply sit in storage areas or landfills. This type of waste is exactly what Gorilla Design is trying to combat. By recycling these containers, a home can now be made out of recycled material that costs much less than wood and other traditional material. Further, by utilizing this recycled material, a much stronger home can be built that can provide better protection against natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes. By using recycled meterials for the structure of this home, wood is not required which in turn means less natural resources are used. Moreover, the steel itself is actually recyclable so at the end of the building's lifespan it can be reused.

The outside of the home is made from fibrous cement, which looks like stucco but is much more than just an exterior coating. Fibrous cement is made primarily out of recycled paper with a small amount of cement as a binding agent. Once the shipping containers have been welded together to create the structure of the home, a 12" coating of fibrous cement is applied to the outside of the home. Although fibrous cement is made primarily from paper, once it is bound with cement, it can withstand fire and water much better than traditional materials. In fact, it secures a home from the elements in a way that is totally unique to the housing market today. Last, but most importantly, fibrous cement is highly insulative. With an R value of approximately 3.0 per inch, 12 inches can provide a total R value of 36. Current energy code requires insulation value of R19. The bottom line is that the Gorilla Design home is highly energy efficient due to the use of this creative insulation.

There you go, three examples of really cool Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable thinking inside the box.