Containers may change the world again - takeaways from CTIA conference 2018

We attended the annual Container Traders & Innovators Association (CTIA) conference recently, and heard from some truly inspiring and forward-thinking people from across the industry.

The conference provided attendees with the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the capabilities of container living. We heard from architects like James Whitaker, who is delivering a £3m container home to a client in the American desert, to the inspiring work of the incredible Jasper Thompson and his initiative, Help Bristol’s Homeless.

As well as a series of presentations, we also celebrated successes and there were a number of awards on the day. Jasper Thompson and Help Bristol’s Homeless deservedly won the award for Best Social Media and Video Marketing Campaign, and it was fascinating to hear how Jasper’s concept had grown into a successful charity.

Help Bristol’s Homeless is a non-profit, social enterprise with an ethos that housing comes first. The charity provides safe accommodation for homeless people in the area, and empowers them to build their own container homes – providing them with a job, training, rewards, and a place to call home.

This approach enables better integration back into society. It’s a practical example of the delivery of the housing first model, popular in Scandinavia. Well done, Jasper.

Winner of the award for Technological Innovation for Container Resellers, Traders and Modifiers was Sea Box, who had designed and built a redeployable air traffic control tower, which was another really interesting and innovative use of containers and demonstrated their versatility. Finally, Container World celebrated receiving their award for Outstanding Work for a Charitable, Social or Welfare Project for their project.

We’re also very happy to say that one award went to QED Sustainable Urban Developments on the day for Most Innovative Architectural Use of a Container.

Topics covered at the conference included a discussion on the use of shipping containers as a solution to the shortage of temporary accommodation – as demonstrated with projects such as QED’s Meath Court and Marston Court. We also heard from David Chaffey from Brighton Housing Trust, about how the use of containers has helped to combat homelessness in the Brighton and Hove area.

At the end of the day’s conference there was a positive buzz about the capability of container homes to significantly contribute to a solution to the UK’s housing crisis. Acknowledging the application of containers to build safe, secure and moveable homes is key to gaining support from the public, and potential investors.

QED’s vision is one of a moveable, diverse and sustainable built environment. We are delivering this by bringing brownfield land back into productive use; with our buildings routinely constructed from a kit of re-usable component parts. Our recent projects include Hope Gardens and Marston Court in Ealing.