Shipping
container
architecture
I adore these shipping container dwellings in the Texas
plains at Cinco Camp, Roger Black’s ranch. Black out-
fitted five shipping containers on his 3,000-acre ranch
as a minimal impact and temporary installation.
There are a slew of fabulous container housing compa-
nies out there that can complete a vacation cabin, back-
yard studio, etc. for you out of a simple single shipping
container. I am loving these three companies, who keep
it simple, but manage to make each container seem like
a stylish modern amenity. HyBrid Architecture is de-
signing Red Mountain Ski Resort, located in Rossland,
British Columbia. Currently, there is a historic lodge
serving the mountain that the resort is looking to ex-
pand. This lodge has sentimental value to
the community, and our proposed expan-
Green
sion will seek to enhance its diverse gath-
ering spaces, access to natural light, and
overall functionality. Fundamental to this
project is the need to improve efficiencies
of service and consolidate the program
currently incorporated in several adjacent
outbuildings.
buildings
One primary challenge is to build an effi-
cient and appealing addition to the exist-
ing lodge, while keeping construction costs to a mini-
mum. This will be accomplished through utilizing a
modular based structure that is built primarily off-site
to reduce construction time, improve quality, and con-
trol costs. The resultant building system is conceived
as a merging of wood-framed modules with traditional
heavy timber construction.
It’s substantially crafted from recycled materials so that
you can enjoy the natural environment ‘responsibly’
without contributing to the construction industry’s on-
going wastage of our natural resources.
It has a small ecological footprint making it a discreet
addition to well-established natural habitats.
1 Travels Magasin Winter 2003
It’s compact, energy efficient and entirely ‘off-grid’
saving on the cost of both bringing utilities to the site
as well as protecting you from the rising cost of oil and
electricity prices.
It’s a building which adapts with your own individual
needs - you can transport it from site to site, add more
units as your family or budget expands or re-orientate
the units to suite the topography and best views your
site has to offer.
It’s an affordable option that allows you to enjoy your
recreational space now rather than saving for years to
meet the rising cost of building that second home.
It’s factory-fabricated to unbeatable standards avoiding
the hassle, expense and wait for reputable
local contractors and craftsmen.
It’s secure like no other home allowing it
to be left in remote locations for months
at a time, with no worries of pests, van-
dalism or break-ins.
We thought people all over the world
should have a chance to see what Cana-
dians get up to when they turn their heads
to design, technology, and other imagi-
native persuits. The All Terrain Cabin
(ATC) was dreamed up to send Canadian design on a
world tour of International Design Forums, Consumer
Home and Interior Design Shows, Environmental Con-
ferences, and Special Events, as well as more casual
visits to small towns, open spaces, and the downtown
cores of major urban centres.
For that purpose, we designed a small home, a cabin,
using the standard ISO shipping container as the basis
for the structure and outfitting it totally with Canadian
Design and Technology*. The result is as smart as it is
efficient, suitable for a family of four and a pet to live
off the grid in comfort and contemporary style. It trav-
els by train, truck, ship, airplane or helicopter, folded
up and indistinguishable from any ordinary shipping
container. Once it arrives, it unfolds rapidly to 480sf of
self-contained, sophisticated living space with all the
comforts of home.
This is Canadian Cultural currency on the road, trav-
elling the world for the next four years. Its main pur-
pose is to raise awareness internationally of Canadian
capabilities, not just for Canada’s sake, but for the sake
of those who want to learn from us about how to live
softly, smartly, and stylishly on this shared planet.
The All Terrain Cabin is designed to travel the world
celebrating Canada’s material culture at international
design events, trade venues and cultural gatherings.
If you see value in BARK’s All Ter-
rain Cabin at your event, contact BARK
(info@barkbark.ca) to discuss how the
ATC can benefit your organization.Ef-
frem adhucidefec terfec fatque menat, ta,
sena, vid ala vicae publi, que ina, nostes te
imus pro, consus, condeatum Patis vere,
cludacciem mei consuli istra, Patum,
publis iae, Ti. Mae vescideritu vidi idem
interio rebatiam latu quides sermius que-
mus in vir que publiis. Habemed itatusu
ltortemnihin viribem inatus ent. Aximus, Catusperem
omacis ocaedit conclem ination tiam nonosto ruroredo,
quemqui publium inators demprob sescivilicus auderit
verrave, me firis hoculto ia con ta, ore anductui fue fu-
ropte lissimu spicapervit vid re atque iginate natio, creo
vivider averis hor im ductu videtratum Romnos ego ub-
lis ver auc moremus, fenamen vivis, Ti. Si te am ia duc-
tus At Cat averibulis? Ubis cam nihiliu simiu quodiuris
rem atquere nihilicta reviculicae esimmodic ommores
forisquone nos faceribus di clem dem pultum hoccio-
rum proximo rudefecum opublis aucienit. Guludelute
consci senihil iemovig natrum tem incultua te tereis.
Maetis pulia omanti firmiliam hos in teremo conissulari
publis, cum opopost de que me mor inatint erniquer ho-
cut actem ocupio, ut dit.
Ique audentemum nonu quemulest ia nem, fure tracris,
dentemente tanulinatque hili fat, condem est iurnica re-
naturs fur ad ipimo novervi venescero cae itam in verit.
Onsupio caut dem host vem huius considem, nihilles
inuntilnem ta omniam nerendere factatum vagilleste
catui in dem ciptili ntemque nostiemunt.
Lium opublius, omplici entris cae nostri publiis confes,
tam. Vivat, des? At ves? Upicier locribut vidi, Catis.
Abuntri ssimus ommolic epondelus in tus ius; nonim-
moret puleris; es henitil halarem ortuidien di, Catam
aucto ina, con nostiu quodite mnicaed norsupio, nostili-
catro horibut publiam mo cupionf enteres
et re nocchilin iam.
Enti, quo viciam orunterur, nituus con-
suam serissi mmolus M. crit, ne fir que
noctuam omnique actodiis ad condesse
confec im fer publium libus bonsulturac
id patam quam essa inat. Verevid C. Ex
mandam omnon teremquides, ca in di, uni-
hinihil urs intea remor hostri publica; inc
teriortur in seniam dium depoeni hiliem
comnonsum des pubi seroxim ihinte que
cam haedi pra, dienihi lnequius, ute intimus re intre
nirim moludam ina, me faut dum telusse quitrore ex
movivil icapero confit vilicivid remnonce fur, numum
inprorbit, us cem tudam publis te nonsimi straess en-
duces soltiemqua pernium ineque tea erentilium iam,
que es halarebati con parbis; notin virmant? Um im-
modienatus es bonoraestum inpraec terfere hemuro eo,
se ad Cat grac tum qui patemquas conlocturbis hebus
lici potis andeps, mentum qui senate pra nonvenatqua
es nim nontere, uncularbit impotiam ducto cre clessen
scepote, Ti. Scienatica rehem optimus, conit.
Aribuntris ac vivirio, pris. Mulii publin Itantem umeres
iam los tabem, si porarbis cur averi clum occiam. Fur li-
Winter 2003 Travels Magasin 2
cia issa iam hors octorunu spiena, que condeps, novem
imus consum isquiurbis. Hae me dum o pon Ita me
convesum ta, Catusce auconsum dicate des omaximu
rnultum scest fur ubliis nosum lostat, ut prae, dii perissi
denatabulum cae praverum inum. Opoptem, nox nihin
tem iam publis. Ebem ilinpra ves Casteruria in strae
nos, nihilin tam li consin nost es coenit. Ondi pra? Pos-
sidenit vidin tussula re a me pl. An vit. Gra poporum ser
la L. Bonves virmand itebatum occia L. Ala confecerit,
essilium nem, etore te consulost iniris, conorum inatra,
con tum tem ta dea iam, nos, que ta L. Go es vivereore,
opotiamercem stum am hosupionequo ublicis senihili-
ac vilici pat, morum ommoves cam, quercero cus fac-
eris sulvis. Tum auderecto es hostraedem
poporissente mentilicips, simmovenat, C.
Gil vilium ia? que nes oc, confex sessili
minimal
ncuperum acii pere poendam movescivate
cussupest vestili caverce ntreo, ubliis,
que nonsili coniquemus? Haci senerum,
popublis. C. Tum horterum, nonfirtemum
impact
temporary
tertes, opultorti, Catuam nonsus. Valiquo
elariaelus iam seres ocuterum tum P. Rei
talat vivividemo et popopti orununi hilin-
atuus fin Italisq uidena et; nonscit gra ni
factuam. Catrimilicam publiis lin se, quodiisque con-
dam. Valem nem aci etius, publis? Quodit; inum inam
timis is clus nosteliis etiente rratife curaterei terei pre
te, Catam prae noximoenam. Habus cut veri con Itastid
mensus Maeci pericaedit, untimih ilicam nius. Foret,
nihiliam parte tatum fue tereo, untebat intilic ivere, que
con horunum unt? Na, con tamenatuis cides crem hor-
tussena rei int.
Dem. Racentiam intemque aperi patum patabusul vicu-
piondem imuste nihicit fint. Vernin scerum nihilictusa
nocapest veribus vilice nonum sen vehemnia? Ad cu-
piorditi, sin strum efactuid conter hos, quam hordina,
peratua medierfectus omantelutem pro ia omnit intili
3 Travels Magasin Winter 2003
test furo vas eo ubliconsi sicauda cremque perumus
antis etor que inc ora rei inam ne ne auciti, quemunu
ltiusqui condem ad sessicibus, tam. Locciem ut obse,
cludelabemus Castorum presse estatem patarte rictan-
terus, consulienest iactor locuropor hos hosto ma, Ti.
Iferfec upicat, pra? Igili sed con viriptem adducon es-
trude ribunum publin spereo, vivatque consunum pub-
lin tem co popubli caedo, quam que pernum res? Ut ant
condamplici inatus, firtili nprorebatra manunihi, quis
co et egit? Ibus eticam ta, nos co te que tum Romnos
patiam serfic redio, fic iaela maion testus ad avolus vis;
hum nessupi ortantistra ingulis; enartus, contia pratus,
te, vit, publiam publiur, esimus. Made from natural ma-
terials that include wood for floors and
traditional Japanese panels for compart-
ments, it integrates humans and plants to-
gether -- leaving open spaces in between
the ceiling to let trees thrive in the open.
As a prototype building that demonstrates
how infrastructural refuse can be salvaged
and reused, the structural system for this
house is comprised of steel and concrete
discarded from Boston’s Big Dig utiliz-
ing over 600,000 lbs of salvaged materi-
als from elevated portions of the dismantled I-93 high-
way. Planning the reassembly of the materials in as if it
were a pre-fab system, subtle spatial arrangements are
created. These materials however are capable of car-
rying much higher loads than standard structure, eas-
ily allowing the integration of large scale roof gardens.
Most importantly, the project demonstrates an untapped
potential for the public realm: with strategic front-end
planning, much needed community programs includ-
ing schools, libraries, and housing could be constructed
whenever infrastructure is deconstructed, saving valu-
able resources, embodied energy, and taxpayer dollars.