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

Green | Apr 23, 2015

3 sustainable projects take top prize in 2015 Global Holcim Awards

Projects from Colombia, Sri Lanka, and the U.S. were chosen by the Holcim Foundation for the impact the projects have on their local communities.

High-rise Construction | Apr 23, 2015

Size matters in NYC, where several projects vie for the city’s tallest building honor

The latest renderings of 217 West 57th Street show a tower that would rise higher than the World Trade Center’s pinnacle, when elevations are included.

Multifamily Housing | Apr 22, 2015

Condo developers covet churches for conversions

Former churches, many of which are sitting on prime urban real estate, are being converted into libraries, restaurants, and with greater frequency condominiums.

High-rise Construction | Apr 22, 2015

Architects propose sustainable ‘vertical city’ in the Sahara

Designers aim to make the 1,476-foot tower sustainable, relying on rainwater collection, solar power, and geothermal energy.

Architects | Apr 22, 2015

Architecture Billings Index accelerates in March

For the second consecutive month, the Architecture Billings Index indicated a modest increase in design activity in March.

Green | Apr 22, 2015

AIA Committee on the Environment recognizes Top 10 Green Projects

Seattle's Bullitt Center and the University Center at The New School are among AIA's top 10 green buildings for 2015.

Museums | Apr 22, 2015

Check out Ralph Johnson's stunning nature-inspired Shanghai museum

The newly opened Shanghai Natural History Museum, designed by Perkins+Will’s Global Design Director Ralph Johnson, mimics the shape of a nautilus shell, and features natural elements throughout. 

Green | Apr 22, 2015

GSA's Federal Center South Building honored with AIA Top Ten Plus Award for 'verified' sustainable performance

The annual award recognizes green building projects that have quantifiable metrics demonstrating the performance and positive impact of the sustainable design.

Architects | Apr 21, 2015

Megatrends shaping commercial building design

Gensler’s 2015 Design Forecast focuses on how changes in demographics, workplace preferences, and technology are affecting how and why structures get built.

Office Buildings | Apr 21, 2015

Stop the endless debate over open vs. closed work environments

Rather than be confused by the constant stream of opinions, leadership teams contemplating workplace investments should start with powerful employee engagement strategies that drive results.

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