Dubai Box Park Lifestyle Hub
Cargo Container Architecture is becoming more popular globally. Not only is it economical, but it is also considered eco-friendly when empty shipping containers are reused as a structural element. It serves as a green alternative amidst the growing surplus of abandoned containers in shipyards.
What happens when containers are used for a high-end retail complex?
Dubai Box Park is a great example of that.
While driving in Jumeirah, right along Al Wasl Road not far from Safa Park is a 1.5-kilometer strip of insulated cargo containers artistically positioned to create a quirky and fun urban retail district.
Dubai Box Park
Dubai Box Park is one of Meraas Holdings' projects that opened in 2015. It's a mix of lively cafes, edgy cuisine, trendy boutiques, homeware shops, and a luxury boutique cinema called Roxy Cinemas.
- Developer: Meraas Holdings
- Site Area: 18,500 m2
- Type: Mixed-use
- Architect/ Designer: Developer's in-house design team - Studio M
- Lighting Design: Delta Lighting Solutions
- Lighting: Osram
Brightly lit and colorful, this chic and contemporary architecture focuses on the natural aesthetic of these shipping containers using the finest technology to achieve impressive detail and finishing.
They created different lighting scenes to emphasize the various textures of the containers.
More Pictures
My Take-away
One of the challenges in re-using shipping containers is ensuring it is habitable. Hazardous chemicals are present in the coating used on the containers as well as the pesticide applied on the interior wood floors. It is important to strip them bare before re-use. Moreover, with the harsh heat in the Middle East and its proximity to the sea, proper insulation and rustproofing are required.
The limitation in space also poses another challenge. A container comes in 40' and 20' lengths with standard widths and heights. One has to carefully plan how they're stacked to achieve the desired space planning while openings are cut using a fireman's saw or a torch.
Creating spaces with shipping containers must be as fun as playing lego. Dubai Box Park showed how our creativity knows no bounds.
Would you ever consider building your home with a shipping container?
Reference:
Inspired by my original post
ARC Lighting & Architecture : Box Park, UAE
Licht & Soehne Box Park
The Pros and Cons of Cargo Containers - Arch Daily
https://twitter.com/DiscoveringArni/status/1318422630152638465
One of the remarkable aspects of architecture is its ability to adapt to different construction technologies, not necessarily expensive ones but clever and creative inventions from inexpensive elements that are readily available. The cargo container is a common yet excellent building material with a modern application in the fabrication of functional environments and minimalistic-themed habitats. Awesome post! 😊
Hi Erne, thank you 😀 There was one time we almost considered building a hangar using containers but given the height constraints, we went for the conventional mode of construction. It would be fun to do a project using cargo containers one day, just for the experience of it. 😊
"Would you ever consider building your home with a shipping container?"
That would be really different! :)
Hi Serpil, yes it would be. Thanks for your message. I had a friend who built a modern container home using 2 40ft containers on their farmland here in the Philippines. It turned out pretty well. 😊
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Yes, I would definitely consider a container home- my imagination has designed a few, but mine would not look like a standard shipping container in the end for it would be so perfectly integrated into the surrounding environment that you would never recognised it as the 3 stories high that it would be (2 underground for storage and emergencies)
Great article, thanks for sharing as I have never seen a lot of them being incorporated into retail spaces, mainly offices and homes.
Thank you so much Ooh, I love that, unexpected underground spaces for storage and emergencies. They're really practical to have these days.
Yes, in every country around the world now- especially for natural disasters- bushfires, floods, cyclones....and the list goes on....
Plus storing important thing like photo albums, records- collectible and that type of thing is the best place to store sensitive items like that because it is such a constant, cool temperature underground- wine cellars being the perfect example....
During last year's visit to Switzerland, it was interesting to learn that all buildings are required by law to have bunkers and houses with their own underground shelters. I got to check out one of the basements of a house built in the 70s and they're all set.
Oh wow I never knew- and for Switzerland too. Now that's very interesting...
Have you ever watched the Doomsday Prepper series? They have episodes with some incredible structural designs- both cobbled together and prefab- like old missile silos from the 70's... and wow aren't they just magnificent refurbed.
https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80001101
No, I haven't watched it yet. Thank you for sharing this, I didn't know about this series. I'm definitely adding that to my To Watch list.
Oh yes, please do cause not only are the people very 'unique' but so are they myriad of ways of prepping- and the imaginitive designs and use of their surroundings.