When thinking of a sustainability institute what comes to mind? Thailand's International Sustainable Developmental Studies Institute (ISDSI) recently needed a new campus. It was only fitting to build the entire structure out of old shipping containers! Or, if you've seen HBO's hit show "The Wire" you might refer to them as "cans".
17 unwanted shipping containers were transformed into ISDSI's new campus, with a total of 22 on site. Nothing went to waste, the cut offs were used for doors, walls, etc. LED lighting is used throughout the space while also maximizing natural lighting to minimize use of electricity when possible. There is insulation if air conditioning is necessary and each room's temperature is controlled individually.
"The main building is built out of 17 High Cube shipping containers. Standard containers are 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet tall. “High Cube” containers are 9.5 feet. Our cafe is a 20 foot long standard container (20 foot containers do not have the high cube option), while the main building is all high cube."
The building was designed to leave the 10 Acacia's "rain trees" in place, which posed as a challenge for the crane operators and designers.
The shipping containers used to build the new campus were sourced from the ports in Bangkok. "By up-cycling the steel, they are kept out of the waste stream, and allow us to learn (and teach) about how to use the hundreds of thousands of containers sitting in the ports of the Global South."
What an amazing and inspiring campus that might have you reconsidering your major, or registering back in school!
