flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower

Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower

Mill Junction will house up to 370 students and is supported by 50-year-old grain silos.


By BD+C Staff | February 14, 2014

In a different take on shipping container student housing from Christian Salvati's work in Connecticut, a new student development has just opened to tenants in South Africa.

In less than a year, developer Cintiq built a 15-story structure, using pre-existing concrete grain silos and shipping containers. Mill Junction will house 370 Johnnesburg students, providing rooftop decks and free WiFi. 

Gizmodo reports that the basis of the structure, the approximately 50-year-old silos, sat empty for years. They were retrofitted with floors, dorm rooms, and windows as a part of the process. The development is also wheelchair accessible reports The Citizen

A massive crane lifted the shipping containers onto the silos, and the final step was to decorate the containers' interior. 

 

Balanced on 50-year-old silos, the shipping containers are actually wheelchair accessible.

 

Windows had to be cut out of the thick concrete of the silos.

 

The shipping containers were lifted on to the silos with a crane. 

 

Rooftop balconies are a feature of the development.

 

The shipping containers were fitted out with new paint and interiors as a final step before habitation.

Related Stories

Architects | Sep 24, 2018

Assembly (and rigorous planning) required: Managing the pros and cons of modular construction

While offering efficiency and flexibility, modular construction requires extensive planning and collaboration to avoid potential challenges.

Architects | Sep 19, 2018

Back it up: Parking lot trends

There are two shifts that we are seeing in parking lot planning and design – and these shifts are rooted in parking’s place at the intersection of environment, transportation, and market behavior.

Architects | Sep 14, 2018

We’ve entered the golden age of brain science. What does it mean for AEC firms?

New research from the SMPS Foundation explores the known principles and most recent research surrounding the human brain and behavioral science. The goal: to discover connections between the science and the AEC business. 

Architects | Sep 6, 2018

S/L/A/M Collaborative completes merger with L.A.-based firm

The healthcare sector is one of Frank Webb Architects’ strengths.

Giants 400 | Sep 6, 2018

What's happening at 89 design firms

The latest developments at 89 of the nation's largest architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms.

Architects | Sep 6, 2018

Little details, big questions: Occupancy planning 101 for healthcare facilities

Transitioning into a new hospital is no easy feat and daily tasks can have a huge impact.

Architects | Aug 14, 2018

AIA takes a firmer stand on making schools safer with better design

The Institute urges the formation of a federal clearinghouse for best practices, and wants security-related design to be eligible for grants.

Architects | Aug 9, 2018

The convergence of product design and architecture

Great design is born out of simplicity, purity, timelessness, unobtrusiveness and intuitiveness.

Architects | Aug 1, 2018

Client experience as competitive advantage for AEC firms

Clients are looking for solutions to their business problems from collaborative advisors. They’ve come to expect a higher level of service and detail than what was provided in the past.

AEC Tech | Jul 24, 2018

Weidt Group’s Net Energy Optimizer now available as software as a service

The proprietary energy analysis tool is open for use by the public.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Resiliency

Austin area evacuation center will double as events venue

A new 45,000 sf FEMA-operated evacuation shelter in the Greater Austin metropolitan area will begin construction this fall. The center will be available to house people in the event of a disaster such as a major hurricane and double as an events venue when not needed for emergency shelter.



halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021