Planning permission was recently granted for a new shipping container-based office building in London, UK. Assuming all goes to plan, it'll rise to a height of 26 m (85 ft), making it the world's tallest shipping container-based building once complete. The project will also boast some sustainable additions, including solar power.
The prefabricated project is named 118 VR and will be located in Vallance Road, East London, an area undergoing redevelopment that also has a claim to fame as being home to the notorious Kray Twins gangsters in the past. The office building will rise to nine floors and be topped by a solar panel array that will reduce the amount of electricity it draws from the grid.
Patalab Architecture aims to retain something of the industrial look of the containers, however this will be softened with unified cladding, balconies and the use of glazing, so it won't be as obvious as, say, Drivelines Studios. The interior walls will be lined with corrugated metal. Structurally, the containers will be stacked atop each other nine high and, according to Dezeen, reinforced by a steel framework.
We've written before about the poor performance of shipping containers in both heat and cold. While we've no word on what kind of insulation Patalab Architecture will use to mitigate this, the firm should have such issues well in hand, as energy-efficient performance was a requirement for the project receiving planning permission.
"An important condition of our permission is that the construction must be BREEAM rated 'excellent' [a green building code], which we will achieve in collaboration with the expertise of sustainability consultants Eight Associates and services engineers Ingine," explains Patalab Architecture. "Aside from the fact that the structure is almost entirely recycled, we are set to incorporate photovoltaic cells on the roof as well as numerous smaller details that both contribute to certification and importantly a long-term sustainable building.
"Alongside sustainability, an ethos of affordability and flexibility is hardwired into our design. Located just outside the City and away from Silicon Roundabout, the offices benefit from being well-connected but with the lower rents afforded by Whitechapel. Combined with the economy of pre fabrication, the construction cost will total around 30 percent less than traditional techniques, unlocking the viability of the site and enabling young businesses to flourish."
We're awaiting confirmation on when the project is due to begin construction.
Source: Patalab Architecture
