Vancouver, Canada is making waves with their newly built shipping container housing project. The 12-unit complex, built by the Atira Women's Resource Society, uses recycled shipping containers to create studio apartments ranging from 280 to 290 square feet. Each building is three containers high including full floor-to-ceiling windows. Atira works directly with women who have been subject to violence and hopes to expand their mentorship program with this housing project, as well as another in the near future.
Not too shabby of a design, and definitely a resourceful move on Canada's part; however, surprisingly the project has been criticized for its cost, particularly the city of Vancouver's donation of $90,000. City councilor Dr. Kerry Jang responded with the fact that the recycled units are actually far more cost efficient than other low-income housing built in the city. "These studio apartments range from 280 to 290 square feet," she said. "If we were to build similar housing for disadvantaged people with units from scratch, it’s about CAD 225,000 per unit. The container buildings are about CAD 85,000."
Stay tuned, for the 42-unit shipping container complex coming in the near future, compliments of the Atira Women's Resource Society.
[via Designboom]
