In a nutshell, explain why shipping containers?
They’re a really quick option compared to a new build which would take at least a year and they make sense given the environmental priority for the area. 

What are their environmental credentials?
Upcycling an existing product puts the energy invested in their creation to a future use. It stops shipping containers piling up in warehouses and yards the world over – wasting away any future potential. A new build requires much more raw materials – brick, wood, metal, cement etc. A large proportion of this can be avoided if the bulk of the structure comes from upcycling. It means upcycled shipping containers have really low embodied carbon, compared to the alternatives.

What about working from a shipping container – how does it feel?
We’re working with Container City on this project and they’ve been converting shipping containers since 1998. The structural integrity of a shipping container is sound. You can cut in to create windows without affecting their strength (we’re proposing large front facing windows). They’re easy to fit out to a high standard. Insulation will be a priority – reducing environmental impact caused by heat loss.

Aren’t they a bit old hat, everyone seems to be doing them?
Green Architecture is a real priority and growing in popularity for obvious reasons. It’s no surprise that a lot of landscapers and architects are utilising their potential. They’re also a really fast method to an immediate problem. Provewell (the owner of much of the warehouse district) is clear that they want to create more affordable studio space. They’ve got lots of people in the district making things, working on creative projects that would benefit from more dedicated work space. Look at Eade Road Studios – it’s full already. Once planning is agreed these studios could be installed in a matter of days, not months, many months, that a new build would require – which increases noise pollution, traffic congestion etc.

So you’re not trying to drop in Box Park to the warehouse district?
Absolutely not. That wouldn’t work. Shipping containers aren’t that dissimilar to warehouse living. The purpose they were created for is very different to how they can be used. I’m sure every tenant who rents a studio will make their own mark, occupying and personalising its character – just like they’ve done with their units.