North Loop Neighborhood

[mplser]

looks cool! people definitely can't complain that this is more of the same old stuff!

[seanrichardryan]

I was hoping Minneapolis would miss the shipping container hysteria. Alas...

[John]

Don't really like it aesthetically, but the concept is pretty interesting. I actually kind of hope it gets built for the novelty factor.

[nordeast homer]

I like the shape of the building and the size seems fine for the neighborhood. My only fear is that sometimes these type of buildings tend to look "temporary". I guess the biggest factor will be what the other materials are made of and whether the paint on the containers looks weathered. I know they won't use rusty ones, but the paint can fade and look terrible pretty fast.

[MNdible]

So, wait... we're actually building architectural thesis project wet dreams now?

[John]

So, wait... we're actually building architectural thesis project wet dreams now?

Doesn't look like a sexy project to me. I mean shipping containers?

[HiawathaGuy]

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... ed-in.html

Mar 20, 2014, 3:30pm CDT
Shipping container office building proposed in North Loop

The owner of a Minneapolis marketing firm called Akquracy has proposed a radical three-story office building for a site near Target Field. The planned structure would be built largely out of shipping containers.
The new project, at 506 Fourth St. N., calls for the offices to be built out of about 60, 40-foot long shipping containers, like those used on ocean barges, as the primary building material, according to a city memo released in advance of a meeting next week. By recycling old shipping containers, the developer should be able to save money on construction materials and make the project more sustainable. ...

[min-chi-cbus]

This is going to be office space? I like it IFF they repaint all of the containers they use (in this instance, if they use Evergreen containers then I hope they repaint them a fresher, brighter Kelly green so it pops out more and doesn't look trashy).

Also, pardon my gullible Polish side, but is there really a national precedent for shipping container buildings? If so, I immediately change my opinion of this project.

[Nathan]

This is going to be office space? I like it IFF they repaint all of the containers they use (in this instance, if they use Evergreen containers then I hope they repaint them a fresher, brighter Kelly green so it pops out more and doesn't look trashy).

Also, pardon my gullible Polish side, but is there really a national precedent for shipping container buildings? If so, I immediately change my opinion of this project.

I think there is plenty of international precedent,it's probably an easy Google search

* yeah do Google image search... there is some amazing stuff!

[seanrichardryan]

Yes, amazingly ugly and trite.

Zues Jones on Lyndale has an addition made with a container.

[MNdible]

I'd have some real concerns about doing this in our climate. One of the big no-nos in our cold climate is having your structure exposed to the elements. Unfortunately, you'll see it fairly often where concrete balconies are exposed -- there's not much you can do about that. But steel conducts heat sooo much better than concrete, so it's a much bigger deal. In the cold winter months, you're asking for problems when your building structure is entirely exposed to the elements. Every steel member is an opportunity to lose heat, meaning that they're much colder than the surrounding air on the inside of the building, meaning that there's a high chance that you'll get condensation on those members, which is not good. At the very least, you could have water dripping somewhere you don't want it -- at the worst, it's a great opportunity to have mold develop.

[go4guy]

This is the dumbest thing ever, and would not be unique at all. This is being done all over, and just looks trashy. Not impressed. And the whole "green" part of it is dumb as well. How about keeping those for their original use instead and build something that can actually retain warm air 6 months out of the year.

[Nathan]

ok, so let's take a breath...
here's a very informative article...

http://www.archdaily.com/160892/the-pro ... hitecture/

[min-chi-cbus]

This is going to be office space? I like it IFF they repaint all of the containers they use (in this instance, if they use Evergreen containers then I hope they repaint them a fresher, brighter Kelly green so it pops out more and doesn't look trashy).

Also, pardon my gullible Polish side, but is there really a national precedent for shipping container buildings? If so, I immediately change my opinion of this project.

I think there is plenty of international precedent,it's probably an easy Google search

* yeah do Google image search... there is some amazing stuff!

I was on the train and am still not quite used to using my smartphone as efficiently as I do my laptop.

[min-chi-cbus]

ok, so let's take a breath...
here's a very informative article...

http://www.archdaily.com/160892/the-pro ... hitecture/

This article essentially agrees that this type of material is a poor choice for most/all U.S. projects -- especially as a "green alternative". So a.) it's not efficient material for habitable living in most U.S. climates, and b.) isn't green whatsoever, considering not only the preexising materials used for the original purpose of the cargo container, but also how much waste would be produced just to make the container habitable.

It's neat, but unoriginal (here), inefficient, and environmentally unsustainable.

[jet777]

Let's look at the history of this space:

2 years ago: proposes modest development
1 year ago: 2 architecture firms later he finds out project will cost $$$ to put in foundation that will support the structure
Now: comes back with a bunch of boxes

I'm not going to waste my breath commenting on what I think of the design (ok, ok shipping containers are so '05) because the developer is obviously a dreamer but does not strike me as a dreamer who can bring this idea to fruition based on the history here. The four levels doesn't even strike me as something that would meet height restrictions (what's one shippers height?)

[min-chi-cbus]

The height of those containers is pasted on the back of almost every cross-country rig in the country: 96 inches (8 feet).

[mulad]

There are also "high cube" versions that are 9' 6".

[dingo]

I have been to Box Park in London and thought it was great. But not the biggest fan of stocking the containers though...

http://www.boxpark.co.uk/

[web]

Las Vegas Downtown

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/ju ... ner-parks/