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#Inspiration

SHANGHAI COMMUNITY CUBES BY INCLUDED

An adaptable and portable community center

If prefabs are fabulous, containers are pretty cool too. It’s funny to see how in a few years, containers then prefabs have taken over the architectural world. These simple and economical construction methods have provided an answer to our growing need for adaptable and quick architecture. One country that has shown such need over the last few years is China, so it is not surprising to find a container built Community Center in Shanghai. The affordable, mobile and highly adaptable center has been designed to welcome marginalized migrants.

The choice of shipping containers was made for several reasons. The first one is the high availability of used shipping containers in China. For this Community Center, the containers were donated by OOCL then renovated and made so that they could remain transportable. Which brings us to the second main reason: mobility. The whole point of the Shanghai Community Cubes is to respond to migrant needs, so the center can actually move if the community is forced to go elsewhere.

Finally, the functionality of the shipping containers has been adapted to the interior design of the Community Center. Since the purpose of such a place is to welcome a wide variety of people, from children to the elderly, the center has been cleverly organized to serve different functions. For instance, four containers can be a large class room or easily be divided in two by a sliding room divider. Regarding the furniture, everything has been designed so that it can easily be stored and leave room for community gatherings. In the end, a few means coupled with INCLUDED’s great ingenuity will serve an important cause and respond to a wide range of needs.

SHANGHAI COMMUNITY CUBES BY INCLUDED

Details

  • Shanghai, Shanghai, China
  • INCLUDED