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A Bar Built From Shipping Containers

We’ve seen what can be done with shipping containers in the past, from tiles to temporary spaces to homes, and now North Arrow Studio, along with Hendley | Knowles Design Studio, has utilized the durable structures to create the Container Bar in Austin, Texas.

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Since the city was unfamiliar with using shipping containers in construction, it took about three years to get the project completed.

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The containers make for the perfect construction material as the corrugated walls and the bottom’s steel frame all serve structural purposes. Just think about all the goods they carry around when in use! When they decided to remove parts of the structure, for windows and doors, they had to add a steel post or a steel lintel to replace the steel that was removed.

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The containers are stacked like building blocks with an open, double-height bar area that’s covered with corrugated metal panels.

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The bar is open to the outside giving it the best of both worlds – a covered space protected from the elements but still getting to enjoy the outdoors.

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By using shipping containers, the bar can easily be disassembled and moved to another location when the time comes.

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The interiors of the containers each have their own personality, like this one with machined MDF covering the walls and ceiling.

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Photos by Chris Perez.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.