Shipping containers are the most conspicuous symbol of the
globalized world economy – 20 or 40 feet of pure steel reduced to the
essentials. They are robust, standardized, inexpensive, universally
available, and quickly assembled. Whether as single units, piled on top
of each other, or placed in a row, covered or cut open – contemporary
architecture uses containers as extremely versatile elements for a great
variety of contexts.
Their esthetic of
practicality accommodates minimalistic temporary solutions, experimental
design concepts, as well as highly demanding and complex building
structures. The contemporary projects presented in this volume showcase
the many functional and creative faces of the utilization of containers.
Almost everything seems possible in the developing field of container
architecture.
