3 Ways Shipping Container Architecture Can Be Used In Retail

Shipping container architecture provides endless, cutting-edge possibilities for retail design, ranging from pop up jewelry shops, to fixed structures such as block-long shopping malls.

Here are three ways shipping containers can be used in retail:

1. Pop-up Store

Pop up retail provides organizations with flexibility and versatility. Small, well-designed units are the ideal place to showcase a brand and be strategically located in proximity to targeted markets. Whether the target consumer is browsing a trendy pedestrian market, a trade show, a music festival or sporting event, a mobile shipping container allows a brand to position themselves among their audience. Units might be stationary for months or they might move weekly. It all depends on the retailer’s needs.

2. Large-scale Box Park

Shipping container architecture is as durable as it is mobile, meaning more permanent, innovative retail structures are also possible.

We draw inspiration from Boxpark Shoreditch in London. This shopping center, constructed entirely from stripped, repurposed shipping containers, drew international attention when it opened in 2011. The mall is described by its team as “low-cost, low-risk” retail, scheduled to stand in East London until 2015.

Groundbreaking, dynamic concepts such as Boxpark are creating buzz with the International Council of Shopping Centers. This council consists of developers who own shopping centers, their retail tenants, the architects and engineers behind design, as well as real estate agents. Boxman Studios is a member of the ICSC.

3. Store Fixture or a Set of Store Fixtures

Shipping containers can also be turned into store fixtures or a “store within a store.” The contrast of scale and rugged finish of a container draws traffic to particular products, or houses a featured brand. With the right planning, customized shipping containers can diversify and augment any retail environment – from downtown department stores to garden centers.