05/14/10

Shipping Container Cities to Shelter 2 Million Haitians From Hurricanes

 

There's been a lot of disasters this year, but the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake has left the country in a dire state and with hurricane season approaching, 2 million people are without adequate shelter and living in tents. Relief in the form of shipping container housing is in progress, but help is still needed. Richard Moreta and his team, Green Container International Aid, who we covered back in February, have been working on securing a large number of used shipping containers for use in their Container Cities. Moreta recently sent us an email asking for support for the people of Haiti -- specifically he needs help amplifying his message to authorities, those in power or with business connections to donate shipping containers and help save lives. Please read on and spread the word!

Rebuilding Shelters with Old Containers

By Preston Koerner | May 16, 2010 | topics: Affordable, Container Design, News

We've seen a lot of effort to provide emergency and long-term shelter for disaster areas.  For Haiti in particular, some groups, like Shipping Container Housing and Green Container International Aid, are trying to reuse shipping containers to get people out of the elements and into something that can withstand hurricane season in a couple short months.  The renderings shown here are from GCIA, who is seeking the donation of containers to construct container cities in the area.

 
GCIA has a container city pilot project under construction in Jacmel in southern Haiti, according to Inhabitat.  As soon as the group receives more containers, they will start building more emergency shelters.

These container shelters will be basic and outfitted with a foundation, new exterior paint, plywood flooring, a green roof, fabric covers for protection and rainwater collection, and screen panel entry doors.

GCIA, with the help of the local population, is on the ground in Haiti making sure the shelters that they build are not just "non-functional spontaneous settlements" but future cohesive developments.



[+] Learn about how to help Green Container International Aid.

Media credits: Green Container International Aid.

April 16, 2010

The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE), through its Center for the Study of Architecture, Urban Planning and Habitat (CEDARQ) presents, this Friday April 16 at 7:00 PM, the conference "Smart Design and its application in the reconstruction of Haiti. "

This talk will be delivered by Richard Moreta, European architect reconstruction specialist, who has gained experience over the reconstruction work after the Balkan Wars of 1992-95, culminating in the creation of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the earthquake in Turkey of August 17, 1999, in which he participated as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers of the United States of America.

Moreta, explained that despite the tragedy, the reconstruction efforts are necessary and   possible, and that they can bring economic and social changes that transcend the physical improvements because they will enable communities to function more efficiently.

The analysis will determine the agenda for recovery and reconstruction after the occurrence of an earthquake and minimize the vulnerability of buildings to future earthquake forces.

April 11, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 2010

SHANGHAI 2010-PRESS RELEASE-

We want to express our thanks  to the Ming Pao Magazines Limited for the promotion of Richard's Architecture and Design and GMZ-Design intentions with GREEN CONTAINER INTERNATIONAL AID –Global tour for the Release of Abandoned Containers in our Ports to be donated as shelters for the People of Haiti.

Abandoned shipping  containers present a viable answer to the lack of housing for the homeless Haitians.

The need for speedy provision of housing in case of emergencies was reiterated after the disastrous earthquake in Haiti. To address this issue, an international team of designers, headed by Richard Moreta, proposed recycling and adapting shipping containers for temporary living needs by following a simple, inexpensive, and easy to implement design and assembly process.

“Richard´s Architecture Design” and “GMZ-Design” has offices in Berlin, Mexico City, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Poland and Santo Domingo.

The firm builds on prior extensive experience in using shipping containers for similar purposes in Bosnia (former Yugoslavia) in 2001, as well as Milan and Portenonne (Italy) in 2002 while Mr. Moreta collaborated with the United Nations and the U.S Corps of Engineers, thus making Mr. Moreta a pioneer in this creative use.

Mr. Moreta’s current proposal is based on a new concept of using a steel frame in which containers are inserted through rubber rollers also used for acoustic insulation. This was identified as an important need in this type of construction. This system is easily scalable in response to evolving needs, without interrupting the life of the inhabitants that are already living in the complex. Using such a system will facilitate the management process of the living complex. The vertical arrangement of containers mimics the vertical nature of the cities.

Mr. Moreta’s unique system makes it ideal for earthquake zones given that it is light-weight and structurally sound. Mr. Moreta’s latest modifications to the system allow it to meet international standards of sustainable design.

As a result of the EU government's initiative to lower the building industry carbon footprint, as well as of international regulations introduced in April 2006, all new commercial buildings must reduce their carbon footprint by 27%. While many projects will strive to meet these criteria, the “Container City” system lends itself perfectly as an inexpensive way to recycle industrial products and contribute to achieving the carbon footprint goal.

02/26/10
Inhabitat

by Bridgette Meinhold,

Numerous disaster relief housing projects have been proposed to help in the aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake last month, and while many of them seem workable, none (as of yet) will actually be implemented. But a new shipping container project designed by Richard Moreta and his team may change all that. Dominican Authorities just recently gave approval for Moreta’s “Container Cities” project, which utilizes a modular construction system along with recycled shipping containers, to be built in the Dominican Republic to supply housing for victims of the earthquake.

Richard Moreta is the principal architect for his own firm, Richard’s Architecture + Design as well as a principal of GMZ Design, with offices in Berlin, Mexico City, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Santo Domingo. He and his team have devised a modular building system relying on used shipping containers to create “Container Cities,” a simple, inexpensive, and easy to implement design and assembly process for temporary housing. For this project, Moreta and his team have built upon their previous experience using shipping containers for similar purposes in Bosnia and Italy.

Unlike many of the other container projects, Moreta’s utilizes a steel frame system with rubber rollers, which the containers are inserted into, allowing them to be easily stacked on a solid foundation.  This system is also easily scalable, can respond quickly to the changing needs of the complex, and is lightweight and structurally sound against earthquakes. The Container Cities project also includes many sustainable design elements including natural ventilation, photo-electric sensitive cells, solar panels, wind turbines, double thickness insulation, glass facades for natural daylighting, rainwater collection, living roofs and bio-climatic technology solutions to make this project zero energy. At the end of its life as temporary housing, the container city could either be further modified for more permanent housing or be unbolted and moved to another location.

+ GMZ Design

+ Richard’s Architecture + Design

02/18/10
Listin Diario