Use for former shipping containers
erty and re-purposing it for positive use.
“We think there is demand for more affordable, flexible work spaces here, fuelled by an abundance of grass roots creative talent in the city and more and more people ditching the 9-5 in favour of starting up their own enterprise.”
The early tenants for the site include a charity and a radio station.
The reason for the use of shipping containers is that a 20x8ft is the right size for a small workshop with private front doors, according to the Bone Yard’s Jodie.
“These make them great for meeting clients and for loading and unloading heavy items.”
Rachel adds that shipping containers can be repurposed off-site and then put into position quickly.
“This was important to us as we wanted to ensure that there was minimal disruption to the residents of Meanwhile House Cardiff,” she explained.
On a far larger scale were the plans for Box City in Cardiff Bay made from hundreds of containers that would include hotel apartments, office and retail space as well as a huge outdoor cinema.
The quayside scheme was to see around 400 shipping containers reconfigured to create a the four-level development.
It was be built on a derelict site at Porth Teigr and was going to cover more than 50,000 square feet. It would have been the largest shipping container inspired scheme of its kind in the UK.
The idea from property entrepreneur Simon Baston appears to have stalled at the moment.
It is not just helping new businesses they are also being used to help those who have fallen on hard times to take the vital first step off living on the street.
The Welsh Assembly has an Innovation housing programme specifically looking to tackle housing. Shipping containers being turned into homes is one of the solutions.
Towards the end of 2017 Cardiff Council received funding from the programme to build eight energy-efficient family homes in the grounds of Greenfarm Hostel in Ely .
And earlier this year Cadwyn Housing Association was given permission to create 14 homes in shipping containers on Bute Street in Cardiff.
The development will include seven one-bedroom containers and seven two-bedroom containers as well as a warden’s office.
The homes are planned as temporary affordable housing on a shortterm basis.
The Newport-based charity Amazing Grace Spaces has been creating homes out of containers for a few years now, not only to help tackle homelessness but also fund their work with people in Newport.
They created their first show home back in 2016 - inspired after seeing a Homebase advert which used shipping containers - and last month supplied Merthyr Valley Homes with two fully-equipped containers and they are in the process of converting four for Wrexham Borough Council.
Stuart and Caroline Johnson have spent 25 years working with people caught in the cycle of homelessness, addiction, and life-controlling problems.
While shipping containers may not seem the most welcoming sort of home Stuart assured potential buyers they were cosy.
Amazing Grace Spaces is using the funds created by supplying these home to help the homeless in the city of Newport and these recent sales are helping them development pods – equipped with bed, chemical toilet, and electricity – that will be used to give a rough sleeper a safe place for the night.
It is also not just for a housing solution for the homeless a few years ago an episode of Grand Designs saw a Northern Ireland farmer and architect use shipping containers to create his home.
Patrick Bradley, who had a budget of £100,000, transformed four 45-foot shipping containers into a more than acceptable abode.
While these big steel boxes are used to cart good globally they are being utilised for far more.