A giant game of Jenga? No, a hotel design made of shipping containers that can be rearranged without falling over

20:03 • 23.04.14

At first glance this collection of colorful containers looks more like a game of Jenga than a hotel, the Daily Mail reports.

But unlike the popular game of wooden blocks, the structure is not intended to tumble over, but instead offers a flexible design for a hotel that can grow, shrink and constantly change – as each room can be slotted in and out of a clever frame.

The Hive-Inn is designed to be made of recycled shipping containers, transformed into rooms which could be themed and branded by companies, combining accommodation and advertising.

The building’s modular design, which is tipped as a favorite to win the Radical Innovation Awards, would allow for rooms to be traded in and out without disturbing the surrounding containers, because of its ‘hive-like’ structure.

A 'core' structure at the heart of the building would maintain structural integrity and act as a vertical lobby to connect different containers.

Hong Kong-based architects OVA Studio said its concept could offer lots of advertising opportunities for brands as portions of the hotel could be changed and containers temporarily sponsored by companies like Ferrari, which could design spaces inside and out, so the room is themed and also doubles as a billboard.

The firm claims that its design would give fans of brands the chance to stay in a place that is totally of a company’s aesthetic.

For example, a container designed by a fashion brand might include decor echoing popular designs, while one imagined by a car company, could feature team colors and even a modified car as a piece of furniture.

As partnerships with brands begin and end, the exterior would change and the layout of the hotel evolve, grow and shrink based on demand for accommodation.

Although presented as a hotel, the architects see other possibilities for Hive-Inn and think a more basic version of the design could be used in emergency housing or medical care units.

They also envision that in the future people could own containers that serve as mobile apartments or offices so that when they travel, their home could travel with them.

The winners of the Radical Innovation Awards – which recognise ‘concept deign, creativity and potential impact on the industry’ - will be announced next month at the Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas.

The architects explained that the idea for their concept hotel ‘lies in the idea of maximum flexibility and mobility, a trend that is embodied in our modern way of life’.

Jenga? The structure might appear precarious, but it could be be made up of shipping containers that slot into a metal frame, enabling hotel rooms to be placed in a balanced way, much like the aim of the popular wooden game, Jenga

The building's modular design, which is tipped as a favourite to win the Radical Innovation Awards, would allow for rooms to be traded in and out without disturbing the surrounding containers, because of its 'hive-like' structure. A crane is positioned on top of the structure to lift the pre-fabricated containers into place

Hong Kong-based architects OVA Studio said its concept could offer lots of advertising opportunities for brands as portions of the hotel could be changed and containers temporarily sponsored by companies like Ferrari, which could design spaces inside and out, so the room is themed (pictured) and also doubles as a billboard

A container designed by a fashion brand might include decor echoing popular designs, while one imagined by a car company (such as the concept pictured), could feature team colours and even a modified car as a piece of furniture

 

A giant game of Jenga? No, a hotel design made of shipping containers that can be rearranged without falling over