flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower

Must see: Developer stacks shipping containers atop grain silos to create student housing tower

Mill Junction will house up to 370 students and is supported by 50-year-old grain silos.


By BD+C Staff | February 14, 2014

In a different take on shipping container student housing from Christian Salvati's work in Connecticut, a new student development has just opened to tenants in South Africa.

In less than a year, developer Cintiq built a 15-story structure, using pre-existing concrete grain silos and shipping containers. Mill Junction will house 370 Johnnesburg students, providing rooftop decks and free WiFi. 

Gizmodo reports that the basis of the structure, the approximately 50-year-old silos, sat empty for years. They were retrofitted with floors, dorm rooms, and windows as a part of the process. The development is also wheelchair accessible reports The Citizen

A massive crane lifted the shipping containers onto the silos, and the final step was to decorate the containers' interior. 

 

Balanced on 50-year-old silos, the shipping containers are actually wheelchair accessible.

 

Windows had to be cut out of the thick concrete of the silos.

 

The shipping containers were lifted on to the silos with a crane. 

 

Rooftop balconies are a feature of the development.

 

The shipping containers were fitted out with new paint and interiors as a final step before habitation.

Related Stories

| Nov 21, 2011

Mortenson and enXco partnership to build its 19th wind project

The 8,500 acres project will generate140 megawatts of wind power – enough energy to power approximately 39,000 homes.

| Nov 21, 2011

FDH Engineering acquires Energy Solutions

All ESI employees have been merged into FDH’s staff at its St. Louis office.

| Nov 18, 2011

Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability opens

Designed to exceed LEED Platinum, the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) is one of the most innovative and high performance buildings in North America today, demonstrating leading-edge green building design products, technologies, and systems.

| Nov 17, 2011

SmithGroup changes name to SmithGroupJJR

SmithGroup and JJR join brands to become a single, multi-disciplinary company.

| Nov 17, 2011

Campus-wide energy-efficiency program aims to deliver $3.5 million in energy and operational savings

Merced College and Honeywell will use the school’s energy usage statistics to develop a course curriculum on sustainability, and raise awareness among students of the positive impact conservation practices contribute to the community.

| Nov 17, 2011

Hollister Construction Services renovating bank in Union City, N.J.

Project is part of a series of ground-up construction and renovation assignments.

| Nov 16, 2011

Project completion of BRAC 132, Office of the Chief Army Reserve Building, Ft. Belvoir, Va.

This fast-tracked, design-build project consists of a three-story, 88,470 sf administrative command building housing approximately 430 employees.

| Nov 16, 2011

Architecture Billings Index moves upward

The Architecture Billings Index climbed nearly three points in October. 

| Nov 16, 2011

CRSI recommends return to inch-pound markings

The intention of this resolution is for all new rollings of reinforcing steel products to be marked with inch-pound bar markings no later than January 1st, 2014. 

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




MFPRO+ News

Florida condo market roiled by structural safety standards law

A Florida law enacted after the Surfside condo tower collapse is causing turmoil in the condominium market. The law, which requires buildings to meet certain structural safety standards, is forcing condo associations to assess hefty fees to make repairs on older properties. In some cases, the cost per unit runs into six figures.

halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021