The ordinary
Located in London, the Boxpark is the first pop-up shopping mall in the world made using recycled shipping containers. This unique shopping mall is built on a temporary site in Shoreditch High Street of East London. A total of 60 standard-sized shipping containers have been used to build this shopping mall. British entrepreneur Roger Wade deserves credit for building this amazing mall. Wade got famous in 1990s for his first box-themed venture named “Boxfresh.” The lease of Boxpark is only for five years and Wade is hopeful that this stricture would serve as something more than just a new kind of shopping place. This environmentally friendly shopping mall does not have feature insulating technology or solar panels, but it is eco friendly because it has been made using recycled materials.
Inspiration
Boxfresh creator Roger Wade has designed and created this unique pop-up shopping mall together with real estate developers Hammerson and Ballymore. Wade’s desire to use recycled materials to come up with something useful was the real inspiration behind the creation of Boxpark, a low cost, low risk shopping mall, which is fully functional and is used to sell different items. This shopping mall is eco friendly because it has been made using recycled shipping containers.
The extraordinary
Boxpark Shoreditch is the world’s first pop-up shopping mall made using recycled shipping containers.
The making
Roger Wade has used a total of 61 shipping containers to build this environmentally friendly mall. He has used 41 containers to give a simple rectangular footprint to the lower section of this structure. The shoppers can stretch a little on the upper pavilion. The gathering spaces are created using the remaining container shops.
The target group
Boxpark is not like several other shopping malls which you have visited so far. Created by Roger Wade, this is his fresh retail revolution, which is low cost and low risk too. This unique and environmentally friendly structure has been designed making the maximum use of the recycled shipping containers. Located in East London, this mall is used to sell international brands’ clothes and other items. It has galleries and cafés as well. The Boxpark is a pop-up mall because of its movable basic building blocks.
Usage
Made up of shipping containers, the Boxpark is not an ordinary shopping center. This unique and eco friendly structure is a living example of human intelligence and creativity. This place is without doubt inspiring and the shopping experience here guarantees full enjoyment. Located in East London, this movable shopping mall is low-cost and low-risk but it sends a message that we can use recycled materials to come up with highly useful structures. The temporary lease of Boxpark, which is used to sell clothes and other items, is for five years. This green structure features eateries and cafes as well.
Related trends
1. Re:START
Re:START have created a temporary retail center using shipping crates in Christchurch, New Zealand. This center is located on the site of the Cashel Mall that was destroyed completely in the earthquake that jolted Christchurch in February 2011. The funding for this project was provided to Re:START by the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal and ASB bank. The main aim behind the creation of this unique structure was to promote tourism and stimulate economic recovery in Christchurch. The local government is planning to use the space for permanent use in future. This shopping center houses 27 shops and two cafés. The opening of this retail center was marked by a series of concerts. Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker is hopeful that this mall will help the people of the city in forgetting the devastation caused by the deadly earthquake and restore the pride in the city.
2. Keetwonen Amsterdam student housing
Launched by TempoHousing, the Keetwonen is a student housing project developed in Amsterdam. These residential units have been built using 1000 shipping containers and they feature all the amenities needed by students. The rooftop of this student housing unit features a system for efficient rainwater drainage, and it also provides heat dispersal and insulation to the residential units. Built in 2005, the plan was to provide temporary student housing for five years but now the life expectancy of these residential units have been increased to 2016. It is expected that Keetwonen would get another extension in 2016. The walls of each unit are soundproof and each unit features kitchen, bathroom and balcony. Keetwonen also has shops, cafes, eateries, art studios and fitness centers. Keetwonen is a hugely popular place among students in Amsterdam. This second most popular student dormitory in Amsterdam is offered by De Key, a well-known student housing corporation in the Netherlands. There is a separate area in each block for safe bicycle parking.
3. Freitag Shop
Located in Zurich, Switzerland, the Freitag shop is regarded by many as one of the world’s most creative buildings made using recycled shipping containers. This tall structure is made of shipping containers placed one above the other. The right side of the structure, with a long staircase, houses the shop. The top of this structure has an observation point. The total height of Freitag Shop is 85 ft (26 meter). This is Zurich’s tallest building. Made by the Freitag messenger Bag Company, this structure is built using 17 rejected shipping containers. The company has used recycled containers to make this building in order to stress that their products are also made using recycled material. The first four floors are used for store display and containers are used for storage and for making the staircase.