Sustainable buildings made from shipping containers

A Hong Kong design company chose to build with the containers not only for their sustainability but for their multifaceted nature

Spotted: The design agency, A Work of Substance, has created a modular marketing suite in Hong Kong, purely out of stacked shipping containers. The marketing suite was built for the logistics company, Goodman, in the Tuen Mun district of Hong Kong. A Work of Substance chose to build with the containers not only for their sustainability but for their multifaceted nature, which they believe stands as a symbol of the logistics industry itself.

Sustainability is at the heart of the construction. The building is formed of four shipping containers, which are combined to create six different spaces. The entire building can be collapsed and transported to a new location, leaving a minimal imprint on the original landscape.

A Work of Substance has softened the harsh industrial nature of the shipping containers by adding timber and glass, to establish harmony with the building’s surroundings and add brightness and light. The extensive use of glass also allows potential clients visiting the marketing suite to view the surroundings.

According to A Work of Substance, their aim is to “use design as a tool to rejuvenate culture and local neighbourhoods, creating works of substance that make Hong Kong a place people look to for inspiration.” The agency is also planning to launch an exclusive line of amenities, furniture and lighting, to create links between their products and Hong Kong’s cultural landscape.

Sustainability and portability are becoming increasingly important in the architecture and design industries. At Springwise, we have seen projects such as a solar-powered water farm housed in shipping containers, and a containerised ship battery.