Not only did Hong Kong-based OVA envision a unique method of paying for this shipping-container hotel concept, the firm designed a structure that could be altered on a whim.
Shipping container architecture has caught on recently, as in the case of this student housing development in South Africa. Like that apartment complex, the Hive-Inn would be made entirely of shipping containers.
But in OVA's concept, any shipping container, or hotel room, can be moved at will. In other words, at any given time, the hotel can remove one room entirely and replace it with something else, or transfer it to a different area of the overall hotel.
The malleable nature of the concept lends itself to a one-of-a-kind advertising strategy: make each shipping container the property of an advertiser. As examples, OVA created renderings of a Ferrari room and an Alexander McQueen room. Essentially, according to their model, an advertiser would design the inside and outside of the shipping container for a certain price. Then, their container/room would act as an advertisement, both for the residents who opted for "the Ferrari room" and anyone passing by the hotel.
"Pushing the idea, we found that creating a link between famous brands, container fit-out, and Hive-Inn operators could be a winning scenario in which greater experience for the customer could meet with higher expense for the brands, with lower overall costs for the hotel operator," OVA said in a statement.
The Hive-Inn was designed as an entry in the 2014 Radical Innovation Awards competition. Competition finalists will present and defend their work in May.
Take a look at the Hive-Inn concept below. All renderings courtesy of OVA Studio.
Related Stories
| Feb 15, 2011
Iconic TWA terminal may reopen as a boutique hotel
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hopes to squeeze a hotel with about 150 rooms in the space between the old TWA terminal and the new JetBlue building. The old TWA terminal would serve as an entry to the hotel and hotel lobby, which would also contain restaurants and shops.
| Feb 15, 2011
New Orleans' rebuilt public housing architecture gets mixed reviews
The architecture of New Orleans’ new public housing is awash with optimism about how urban-design will improve residents' lives—but the changes are based on the idealism of an earlier era that’s being erased and revised.
| Feb 15, 2011
LAUSD commissions innovative prefab prototypes for future building
The LA Unified School District, under the leadership of a new facilities director, reversed course regarding prototypes for its new schools and engaged architects to create compelling kit-of-parts schemes that are largely prefabricated.
| Feb 15, 2011
New 2030 Challenge to include carbon footprint of building materials and products
Architecture 2030 has just broadened the scope of its 2030 Challenge, issuing an additional challenge regarding the climate impact of building products. The 2030 Challenge for Products aims to reduce the embodied carbon (meaning the carbon emissions equivalent) of building products 50% by 2030.
| Feb 15, 2011
New Urbanist Andrés Duany: We need a LEED Brown rating
Andrés Duany advocates a "LEED Brown" rating that would give contractors credit for using traditional but low cost measures that are not easy to quantify or certify. He described these steps as "the original green," and "what we did when we didn't have money." Ostensibly, LEED Brown would be in addition to the current Silver, Gold and Platinum ratings.
| Feb 15, 2011
AIA on President Obama's proposed $1 billion investment in energy conservation
The President’s budget increases the value of investment in energy conservation in commercial buildings by roughly $1 billion, reports AIA 2011 President Clark Manus, FAIA. The significant increase from the current tax deduction of $1.80 per sq. ft. now on the books is an increase for which the AIA has been advocating in order to encourage energy conservation.
| Feb 14, 2011
Sustainable Roofing: A Whole-Building Approach
According to sustainability experts, the first step toward designing an energy-efficient roofing system is to see roof materials and systems as an integral component of the enclosure and the building as a whole. Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
