Shipping Container Markets

Implant

The implant is set to be Poland's new pop-up shopping centre located in downtown Warsaw. Designed by local architecture practice Szcz and commissioned by investor Nowa Epoka Handle, the cargotecture proposal would transform a 2.6-acre site into one of the world’s largest shipping container retail complexes, made of approximately 300 shipping containers. This container build will feature a three-story modular building, housing approximately 80 tenants and host mixed programming from retail and restaurants to social and cultural space. Read more here.

Boxpark

London's first pop-up shopping mall made of 61 shipping containers is located in Shoreditch, London, EN. The mall holds a diverse group of both local and large-scale retailers, along with coffee and food shops. 41 of the 61 containers used as the lower section in a simple rectangular footprint. An upper pavilion lets shoppers stretch out a bit, and the remaining container shops are clustered to create a few gathering spaces. The mall’s modular design allows it to be moved to almost any urban lot for any amount of time.

Re: START

This particular temporary shopping centre represented a new start for Christchurch, New Zealand after a devastating earthquake in 2011. Although only opened for a year while the downtown pedestrians' malls were restored, it definitely started a trend within the container architecture market. Holding 27 stores, a café, a large pedestrian area and two horse-shoe shaped pavilions. The mall offered a bit of normalcy to the residents and some serious contemporary eco-style. The development took only months to put together, but still with a level of thoughtful design, as well as bright open spaces with interesting gathering areas to linger on warm spring weekends. Read more here.

Crate Park

Developers have launched plans to create a £20m shipping container business park in North Tyneside, with the potential to create up to 800 jobs. Crate Park at Cobalt, North Tyneside, is set to become the first of several incubator business parks around the UK designed to provide a springboard for SMEs wanting to launch their businesses on the high street.The team behind Crate Park has been in discussions with planners ahead of submitting a detailed application in January, asking for permission to build a mixed-use development in land adjacent to the existing Cobalt Business Park, with office space, retail and leisure space provided in upcycled shipping containers. Read more here.

Common Ground

This shopping centre was built in 2016 in Seoul. Designed by local firm Urbantainer, the 5,300-square-meter pop-up mall was constructed from 200 large modular containers and can be easily modified, moved, or dismantled as needed. Read more here.