Peter Honeywell, Drew Mandigo and Zoë Ashby present the ContainR Project to the Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology's Annual Conference

The ContainR Project
Ongoing Developments

The CAO recently presented the ContainR Project to the Canadian Institute of Theatre Technicians, where there were many questions about the status of this initiative. In the last few months many people have enquired about the project - "I heard about that - where is it? Is it finished? Can I move in?" Of course it's always nice to hear the excitement, but it can be a bit frustrating as well. We have always maintained that we didn't want to do anything if we couldn't do it right, and part of doing it right is planning well - that's where we are now. We don't have a building yet, or even any land to put it on, but we are working on it, conducting lots of research, and compiling more information every day. A needs-assessment poll, we are putting together, will ascertain the needs of local artists regarding studios and live/work space. Peter Honeywell (CAO Executive Director) and I have visited the new Artscape Wychwood Barns project in Toronto. Jim Kroesen, Manager of Buildings from Artscape who gave us a wealth of information on this project, escorted us around. The Wychwood artist live/work spaces are of particular interest to us because the units are comparable in size to two 40' shipping containers, Set to open this September, we plan to continue to follow the progress of this build, how they have engaged the surrounding community, plus how they manage to build a community within Wychwood itself.

Ottawa's history differs from Toronto's leaving it with less aging, industrial buildings to transform. The shipping container as building block offers Ottawa a comparable solution for creative space. We have noticed in our on-going research, a jump in the number of actual constructions using shipping containers around the world in the two years since we started. (We use 'actual builds' to classify a project that has been completed. rather than just in the concept or planning stage, as ours is.) When we began to do our research, there was a hand-full of projects around the world. There was Container City located in the Trinity Buoy Wharf, in the heart of London's Docklands. Completed in 5 months in 2001, Container City I was originally 3 stories high providing 12 work studios across 4,800 sq ft. After high demand, a fourth floor was added, providing three additional live/work apartments. Container City has now grown to include 23 buildings around England and New York, including schools, youth centres, sports halls, music studios, a farmers market and an artist's retreat.

Other builds that existed back then included the 12 Container House by Adam Kalkin in Brooklin, Maine, an Information centre in Montreal, a residence is Redondo Beach California, another residence in Victoria completed by Architect Keith Dewey, a movable gallery space in Oslo Norway, a 'temporary' museum in Seoul, South Korea and the travelling Nomadic Museum housing the Ashes and Snow photography and film exhibition by Gregory Colbert.

New projects seem to be announced everyday – not just concepts but actual builds. The Travelodge hotel chain in England has starting building hotels using shipping containers, with two completed, one near completion now and plans to build hundreds of hotels in the UK, Ireland and Spain before 2020. There are two multi-unit buildings currently being built in Manhattan, including one by the afore mentioned Container City people from London, and another in Venice, California. There was also a recently published article by MSN on the subject, in which they state "cargo container housing is moving off the fringe and into the mainstream."

So here we are, taking careful time to get it right, gathering information, learning from other's mistakes, forming a rock solid strategic plan and a good business plan, not to mention finding land and beginning fund-raising - all the while hoping we don't miss the boat on this one, here in Ottawa.

Please visit the CAO website where there are links to the above projects plus many more of interest.