What is a Shipping Container?
6 Awesome Educational Uses for Modified Shipping Containers
When it comes to the education sector, preschools, primary schools, high schools, technical institutes and universities are always seeking more space and modified shipping containers are the perfect solution for meeting these growth needs.
Whether it’s temporary storage, or a full blown student village, second hand shipping containers can be modified and repurposed for virtually any educational building or storage requirement.
Check out six of our favourite uses:
1. Students build their own classroom in Berkeley
Image Credit: Studio H
Students at a REALM charter school in Berkeley, California have built their own classroom as part of a “Project H” project. Using three 40 foot second hand modified containers the students planned, then constructed, the classroom with a courtyard and raised roof.
These kids must have been pretty skilled, doing the work themselves using blow torches, welders and angle grinders. This hands on approach allowed them to learn about construction tools and techniques as well as gaining them a brand new classroom. This is an impressive way for youth to learn while doing, and end up with a space to continue learning afterwards!
Building our own classroom: Studio H at REALM from Project H Design on Vimeo.
2. Visserhock School – Classrooms on a Budget in South Africa
Image Credit: Gizmag
Modified Shipping containers are seeing increased use as classrooms in both the developing and developed world, thanks to their low cost and ease of transport and customisation. This 40 foot container has been repurposed into a classroom for twenty-five 5 and 6 year old students at Visserhock School in Cape Town South Africa.
Due to the heat, a sun shade has been added to protect the classroom from the harsh African climate. This allows air to circulate above the container and prevents heat gain. Large windows have been added on both sides of the classroom to allow adequate ventilation to a classroom full of busy kids. A patio, play area and vegetable garden have also been added.
The whole project is perfect for an area where there are limited budgets for education, with most of the children being from the underprivileged communities in the surrounding Du Noon township. The classroom won a silver medal at the Lowrie Awards in the architecture category in 2013.
3. Waldorf School – Adding 10,000 Square Feet with Modified Shipping Containers
Image Credit: LA Times
Waldorf School in Orange County, USA was in need of some additional classroom space and found the solution using modified shipping containers. Taking 32 second hand 40 foot containers they were able to add an additional 10,000 square feet of space as well as bathrooms, offices, a science lab, student lounge and even an auditorium. All up the project came in at a budget of approximately $2 million USD including all construction and fittings.
The project was so successful it won the Costa Mesa Planning Commission’s annual 2011 Costa Mesa Green Design Award.
4. Keetwonen – The Biggest Container City In the World!
Image Credit: Tempohousing
Holland is another hub of shipping, and Keetwonen in Amsterdam is quite possibly the biggest shipping container construction we’ve ever seen. This “temporary” project has gone on to become the second most popular student housing in Amsterdam and houses over 1000 students.
Each unit has been custom built to include its very own bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, study area and private balcony. The units have even been customised to include all the modern amenities a tertiary student needs including: central heating, high speed internet and a full phone system.
Rooms are spacious (being built out of a 40 foot shipping container), well insulated for both sound and heat, and have turned out to be excellent value for money, both in terms of construction costs and low rent for students.
5. Dieman Student Housing
Image Credit: Tempohousng
Another huge student housing project by the team at Tempohousing. Dieman is an Amsterdam town that was suffering an acute shortage of high quality student housing. 250 student homes were built 5 stories high out of brand new, custom built shipping containers made in China. The whole complex was laid out in a square shape for increased structural integrity and allowed for a huge central garden area and meeting place in the middle.
Units are heated with natural gas, have full electrical work and the same amenities as Keetwonen. What’s particularly amazing about this project is the speed that it was constructed. Each unit was custom built in the factory and shipped on site. It then took only 12 weeks to stack the 250 shipping containers and finish the construction work. There is simply no other way of building a large scale student accommodation unit so quickly!
6. eCORRE (Environmental Centre of Regenerative Research & Education)
Image Credit: Gizmag
Here’s another great concept for shipping containers to be used for educational purposes. Long Beach, California is home to one of America’s busiest shipping ports. Soon it will be home to a building which uses shipping containers in an entirely different way. The eCORRE complex would be used to educate the public about issues such as renewable energy and sustainability. The building will consist of classrooms, an exhibition hall, offices and a public area.
The structure is one of the more complex engineered shipping container buildings that we’ve come across. First containers will be stacked, lifted into an arch, then angled towards the sun.
Other uses for second hand shipping containers in the education sector include:
- Storage of playground equipment
- Storage of sports equipment
- General cheap storage solutions
- Mobile & temporary classrooms
- Bike sheds
- Groundkeeper offices and container workshops
- Cafeterias and Tuck Shops
Need a container now?
Does your school, university, technical institute or preschool have a need for modified shipping containers? Contact the shipping container experts at Gateway Container Sales and Hire now. Our team are on hand to discuss our range of used shipping containers for sale and answer all your questions regarding educational uses of shipping containers.
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