Just a little progress update to share with everyone.
I am currently in the process of doing the initial layout of the disaster container trying to fit in all the amenities that I think are essential, and also trying to decide which size of container would be best. I am currently thinking that a larger container would be used for a more permanent situation while a smaller container could be used for shorter times.
If anybody has any thoughts on which container size you think would be best just leave a comment. Here are your choices:
Standard 20' 8' wide 8'-6" high
High Cube 20' 8' wide 9'-6" high
Standard 40' 8' wide 8'-6" high
High Cube 40' 8' wide 9'-6" high
I would suggest that you look at designing for the smallest container. That way you could fit more of them on a ship. Since the larger containers are twice the size, you could also look at doing a duplex unit.
ReplyDeleteJustin,
ReplyDeleteI hope some of the ideas we brainstormed in class the other day for your project were helpful. I hope it inspired you to think about different things you might not have thought about.
Justin,
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering if you had thought about what kind of climate you are designing for? How do you think climate will impact your design?
Alyssa
hello Justin,
ReplyDeleteWhat about maximizing space with folding furniture, so one room could have 2 or more uses. this could be built into the wall of the container and pulled out as required. depending on space requirements putting the rain capture system on the inside would keep the unit stackable. along that same thought what about putting the solar power collector built into the exterior wall of the container. my idea here was to keep the same exterior shape so you could load them on mass to a disaster site
Otto
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to post the reply I got from Gordon, I also have some files he wanted me to give to you. He tried getting on your blog but couldn't navigate through it.
Here is his email to me:
"Hello Chris and thank you for your message.
I am afraid I have no idea how to maneuver through blogs. I did go on his but am lost as to the procedure(s) for communicating on it/them. What I would like to do is have a brief chat with Justin and to perhaps meet with him and discuss his needs and requirements. As I believe I mentioned, we have several buildings designed for disaster relief including initial communication units totally self-contained and self-sufficient, a module hospital for 2,000 victims or more that could be up and operational in a month, also fully equipped, accommodation for foreign workers (a major issue as they all expect 5 star hotels) and accommodation for the local residents that could be up in a few days, not a few years.
I also have an interest in the subject and have taken several national survival and planning courses. I did infect prepare a 350 page paper on the planning and implementation of what I call, "Preparedness for the Worst". It is a structure that grids, in reality, every city with a population of 20,000 or more, in the world, and forecasts/anticipates/evaluates the risks of the community, what could happen and what to do in that event. I built a model with several small cities and others such as San Francisco and Vancouver and a devastation projection that could be expected with the risks. For example, San Francisco has several risks, two of which are wave actions (tidal wave) and earth quake. Given the degrees of impact, starting small and increasing to massive proportions, the degree of damage also progresses. The greatest challenge however, is not getting men, materials, food and money to the needy, it is coordinating and administering them. So, you could have the best equipment etc. at the site of the devastation, but in the case of the USA military, the UN, the World Bank and many others, little gets done because of internal politics, power-jousting and good ol' BS. Look at Haiti and Chile. So, while the 200 or so American not-for-profits fight amoung themselves for power and recognition, and with the mix of politicians, the UN and many others slowing the entire process down to a stall, Canadian, French and German forces have nearly rebuilt six cities completely including new infrastructure, housing, medical facilities and schools. What a joke and what a shame!
So, to me, the subject requires a four pronged thrust being: analysis, planning, administration and execution. Horizon has the tools for all four.
Sorry to get a little carried away, I am just so discussed with how the US messes things up so badly and for the wrong reason.
If you could arrange for Justin and I to chat, I would appreciate it.
Thanks again,
M. Gordon Cory MBA, SBA, CPPA, DAC
Horizon Group of Companies
Suite 304 - 153 Seymour Street
Kamloops, British Columbia
Canada V2C 2C7
Office #1 - (250) 376-0850
Office #2 - (250) 314-0840
Cell: (250) 320-9203
Fax (250) 372-0877"
Hi Justin,
ReplyDeleteHere is the next email. He also sent an info package and photos for you so I'll give them to you on monday.
"Chris,
Please find some pics and an information package on the Module and a second package entitled Introduction Letter August 16. Pls. feel free to forward these to Justin if you wish. As you know, the Module is a prototype. It is 12 ft in width (not 8 ft like a conventional container), 24 ft in length and 9.5 ft in height. The main Module will be 30 ft in length, an additional 6 ft which will make a great difference. We made the prototype 24 ft so as to be more maneuverable.
Regarding Justin, It would be good to discuss specific applications of the Module and their design. Although the Module's design is what it is, it could always be improved upon. But as you know, a single Module a building does not make. The challenge then is to design the buildings, using the Module technology, for specific purposes. For example, in the second package, Introduction Letter August 16, there is a section on emergency buildings, a hospital, and other supportive structures.
I look forward to your comments.
Yours truly,
M. Gordon Cory MBA, SBA, CPPA, DAC
Horizon Group of Companies
Suite 304 - 153 Seymour Street
Kamloops, British Columbia
Canada V2C 2C7
Office #1 - (250) 376-0850
Office #2 - (250) 314-0840
Cell: (250) 320-9203
Fax (250) 372-0877"
Peace
Chris
I would have to say go with the "High Cube 20' 8' wide 9'-6" hig" one. With murphy bed's and all of those kinds of things, it's easy to make one room have multiple uses.
ReplyDeleteFound some fun videos that might inspire you a bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hhhQvRmAxI&NR=1
And I just found this youtube video that's another great way to have multiple use furniture that I think would make the smaller one more attractive.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKN7J3hLp7I&feature=related
Thanks everyone for all the helpful links and comments.
ReplyDelete@Chris- Thanks for the great contact. I am sure that he will be a great source of information.
@Otto - I also see the importance in folding furniture to maximize space, as for the green technologies I thought that for transport they could be stored inside the container and after the container is set up they could be locate on the area of the structure that would offer the most beneficial results.
@Alyssa - Initially I was planning on designing a container that could handle both cold and hot environments, but after doing some research it appears that most natural disasters occur where the environment is hot to temperate and very rarely happen in cold climates. Thus the need for a cold weather disaster container is not there. As far as the climate impacting the design, as far as I can see it would only affect the amount of insulation that would be required and the mechanical system( furnace or air conditioning).
Justin