USA TODAY International Edition
10BEST: Shipping- container conversions
Originally developed for transportation, shipping containers are finding new life as buildings. Stores, restaurants and offices are popping up across the country as architects find new uses for the steel boxes. “The shipping container could be the 21st ce
CONTAINER PARK LAS VEGAS
Even in Las Vegas, which boasts Venetian canals, medieval castles and a New York skyline, this shopping area still attracts attention. The multistory project was spearheaded by Zappos. com founder Tony Hsieh, who is trying to attract a Millennial workforce downtown. It includes galleries, bars and restaurants, along with a treehouse play area, all guarded by a giant praying mantis made from recycled metal. 702- 359- 9982; downtowncontainerpark.com
BOX OFFICE PROVIDENCE, R. I. A abandoned warehouse site now regularly attracts sightseers eager to see how an architect recycled 32 shipping containers to construct a dozen offices and studios. The building has a solar array and consumes a fraction of the energy of a normal building complex. “There’s a playful sense about it,” Arieff says. boxoffice460.com
CAMP EMERALD BAY CATALINA ISLAND, CALIF. Summer camp once meant bunking in drafty tents or bunkers. But at this Pacific retreat on the north end of Catalina Island, a few campers get to set up temporary residence in a modified container. It was constructed onsite by Scouts from two 20- foot steel boxes. The Eco- Cabin is topped with a translucent Fiberglass roof, adding a light and airy feeling to the once- dark boxes. campemeraldbay.org
THE GULF ORANGE BEACH, ALA. Perhaps it’s fitting that a state that played a role in the start of container shipping is now home to a fun beachside restaurant and bar made of the big boxes. The property offers several seafood options, from fried grouper sandwiches to sushi, which are delivered to sunshaded picnic tables or cushy outdoor lounge areas that look right out on the Gulf of Mexico. 251- 424- 1800; thegulf.com MORE 10BEST TRAVEL. USATODAY. COM See lists for travel ideas online.
RE: START CAFÉ CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
One of the beauties of container buildings is that they’re quick to construct, which was much appreciated when residents of Christchurch struggled to rebuild after an earthquake in 2011. This café, made from three containers, opened soon after the disaster and donated a percentage of its revenue to restoring a badly damaged theater. hummingbird coffee. com
PROXY SF SAN FRANCISCO
What started as a temporary twoblock, pop- up project five years ago in the Hayes Valley area of San Francisco has been such a hit that its lease has been extended until 2021. Crowds love spots like Ritual Coffee, Smitten ice cream, a beer garden and an outdoor cinema screening independent films. “In many ways it has set the tempo for everyone else,” Arieff says. “They’ve become much- beloved.” proxysf.net
BOXPARK LONDON
Shoreditch, an arty, gritty London neighborhood best known for street art, is attracting tourists with a collection of container buildings housing restaurants and independent retail shops and pop- ups. “It has been a great draw in an area where people wouldn’t normally go,” Arieff says. A similar BoxPark has opened in Dubai. boxpark. co. uk
STARBUCKS NORTHGLENN, COLO. Even coffee giant Starbucks has embraced the container trend, building modular stores from shipping containers like those used to transport its coffee and tea. This drive- through and walkup building, covered in reclaimed Wyoming snow fencing, was assembled off- site and quickly installed near Denver. “They’ve made some effort to be architecturally distinctive to feel more like an independent café,” Arieff says. Starbucks. com
COPPER + KINGS DISTILLERY LOUISVILLE The historic Butchertown neighborhood has gone all- out hip with this new distillery producing apple and grape brandies. The owners transformed six steel boxes into a boutique, café and visitors center. “I like that they’ve used the containers to sort of replicate an urban beer garden,” Arieff says. 502- 561- 0267; copperandkings. com