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4 Unique Second Hand Shipping Container Churches
Second hand shipping containers have been recycled into a wide variety of buildings around the world, from boutique hotels, student accommodation, schools and restaurants – but have you ever considered a church, temple or mosque constructed from shipping containers?
The ease of transport, low cost and versatility of a used shipping container makes the ideal construction component of a church building, be it in inner city Los Angeles, a war zone or even the deep snow of the Antarctic. Here are a few of our favourites.
Houses of Worship that utilise second hand shipping containers
1. Award winning second hand shipping container church in Los Angeles, CA
The Four Square Church Parsonage was on a tight budget when they were constructing a new church building in 2009. This tight budget led to them using second hand shipping containers as a method of construction and eventually winning an American Institute of Architects design award.
The building is a hybrid of repurposed shipping containers and traditional building methods. These shipping containers are strong, mould proof, fire resistant and above all affordable – making them perfect for the job at hand.
The container section of the church building houses classrooms, accommodation for the live in pastor and a drop in unit for teenagers. Below the container units is a community space that is perfect to host weddings, cultural events and religious celebrations.
2. The Airfield Chapel formerly in Port Stanley, The Falkland Islands
In 1982 the Falkland Islands were occupied by the Argentine forces over a long held territorial dispute. The British Military undertook an operation to re assert control over the territory.
A church was “built” at Port Stanley Airfield, and services were lead by Padre P. Sladden, first in a military style canvas 24 x 12 foot tent, and later in a converted military shipping container due to massive leaks in the canvas and the impossible job of keeping power and phone lines working in such a wet and leaky “building”.
The second hand shipping containers were modified to include such relative luxuries as insulation, heating and double glazing. The general engineering section cut holes for doors and windows, plywood and insulation were installed on the inside and the entire chapel was painted on military olive drab to match the surroundings. The altar was crafted from offcuts in the military workshops and the chapel cross was manufactured “trench art” style from the shell casing of a piece of Argentine ordinance.
The chapel was officially opened in 1983 where it stayed until being relocated in 1986 to the Royal Airforce Museum in London, where it has resided ever since.
3. The Chilean Chapel of Santa Maria Reina De La Paz, Antarctica
While Stanley Island in The Falklands might be cold, nothing gets colder than this church, even further south in Antarctica. The name translates to “Saint Mary, Queen of Peace”.
Part of the Chilean Military Base on King George Island it is also home to the largest civilian population in Antarctica. The church has been constructed from modified shipping containers, and placed upon large blocks so that it does not move during snow drifts.
The church’s container modifications include: windows, doors, heating and insulation. The church is the southernmost of the Chilean Catholic Church and one of seven religious buildings that are based on the Antarctic continent.
4. MASTER School in Depok, Indonesia
The school is known as the Masjid Terminal (Terminal’s Mosque) School due to its location alongside the Bus Terminal Mosque in Depok, Indonesia. The school was constructed in 2006 entirely from second hand shipping containers and provides education along with religious instruction.
Are you looking for a unique solution to your building requirements?
From churches, temples and mosques, to offices, accommodation and more, second hand shipping containers are an ideal construction material. Cheap, easy to modify and even easier to transport to virtually any location on the planet, these 40 foot building blocks are perfect for almost any use you can imagine.
Contact our team of shipping container experts at Gateway Container Sales & Hire now to discuss how your organisation can utilise a second hand shipping container for your building, storage or transportation requirements.
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