Not only did Hong Kong-based OVA envision a unique method of paying for this shipping-container hotel concept, the firm designed a structure that could be altered on a whim.
Shipping container architecture has caught on recently, as in the case of this student housing development in South Africa. Like that apartment complex, the Hive-Inn would be made entirely of shipping containers.
But in OVA's concept, any shipping container, or hotel room, can be moved at will. In other words, at any given time, the hotel can remove one room entirely and replace it with something else, or transfer it to a different area of the overall hotel.
The malleable nature of the concept lends itself to a one-of-a-kind advertising strategy: make each shipping container the property of an advertiser. As examples, OVA created renderings of a Ferrari room and an Alexander McQueen room. Essentially, according to their model, an advertiser would design the inside and outside of the shipping container for a certain price. Then, their container/room would act as an advertisement, both for the residents who opted for "the Ferrari room" and anyone passing by the hotel.
"Pushing the idea, we found that creating a link between famous brands, container fit-out, and Hive-Inn operators could be a winning scenario in which greater experience for the customer could meet with higher expense for the brands, with lower overall costs for the hotel operator," OVA said in a statement.
The Hive-Inn was designed as an entry in the 2014 Radical Innovation Awards competition. Competition finalists will present and defend their work in May.
Take a look at the Hive-Inn concept below. All renderings courtesy of OVA Studio.
Related Stories
AEC Tech Innovation | Apr 27, 2023
Does your firm use ChatGPT?
Is your firm having success utilizing ChatGPT (or other AI chat tools) on your building projects or as part of your business operations? If so, we want to hear from you.
Concrete Technology | Apr 24, 2023
A housing complex outside Paris is touted as the world’s first fully recycled concrete building
Outside Paris, Holcim, a Swiss-based provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions, and Seqens, a social housing provider in France, are partnering to build Recygénie—a 220-unit housing complex, including 70 social housing units. Holcim is calling the project the world’s first fully recycled concrete building.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 21, 2023
Arlington County, Va., eliminates single-family-only zoning
Arlington County, a Washington, D.C., community that took shape in the 1950s, when single-family homes were the rule in suburbia, recently became one of the first locations on the East Coast to eliminate single-family-only zoning.
Architects | Apr 21, 2023
Architecture billings improve slightly in March
Architecture firms reported a modest increase in March billings. This positive news was tempered by a slight decrease in new design contracts according to a new report released today from The American Institute of Architects (AIA). March was the first time since last September in which billings improved.
Green | Apr 21, 2023
Top 10 green building projects for 2023
The Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex in Boston and the Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis are among the AIA COTE Top Ten Awards honorees for 2023.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 19, 2023
Austin’s historic Rainey Street welcomes a new neighbor: a 48-story mixed-used residential tower
Austin’s historic Rainey Street is welcoming a new neighbor. The Paseo, a 48-story mixed-used residential tower, will bring 557 apartments and two levels of retail to the popular Austin entertainment district, known for houses that have been converted into bungalow bars and restaurants.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
Reinforced concrete walls and fins stiffen and shade the National Bank of Kuwait skyscraper
When the National Bank of Kuwait first conceived its new headquarters more than a decade ago, it wanted to make a statement about passive design with a soaring tower that could withstand the extreme heat of Kuwait City, the country’s desert capital.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India
Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
Meet The Hithe: A demountable building for transient startups
The Hithe, near London, is designed to be demountable and reusable. The 2,153-sf building provides 12 units of business incubator workspace for startups.
Metals | Apr 19, 2023
Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings releases new color forecast for architectural metal coatings
The Coil Coatings division of Sherwin-Williams has released its latest color forecast, FUSE, for architectural metal coatings. The report aims to inspire architects, product manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the coil and extrusion market over the next 3-5 years and beyond.
