The Keetwonen City Universitys Student Housing Projects - Research Paper Example

Abstract The Keetwonen student housing project reuses cargo containers to provide homes for thousands of students at the Keetwonen City University Amsterdam. It was an innovative project by the student housing organization ‘De Key’ to deal with the menace of inadequate student housing. The houses are spacious, sustainable, well ventilated and comfortable besides being green or sustainable. Constructed in 2005, the 5-floor dormitories are on a flat ground and are built on a strong foundation with the containers welded together for strength. The houses also have large windows and doors for ventilation and lighting, making them quite comfortable. Introduction By early 2000s, the city of Amsterdam was already facing the big problem of inadequate student housing. Specifically, there was need to avail thousands of homes within a few months to cater for the increasing demand for student housing (Pilloton, P. 1). In 2005, the city of Amsterdam sought the services of an innovative company to build the needed houses in as few months as possible. Hence, the city embraced TempoHousing’s creative container housing idea. The innovative idea by TempoHousing was the recycling of used cargo containers. In just a few weeks, the Keetwonen City University managed to avail five floors of container houses for its students. The container houses are not only ecological but are also beautiful, practical and an economical method of solving the housing problem at the university (Pilloton, P. 1). The houses are also spacious and measures 25 square meters. They are safe and well equipped, each with a kitchen, bathroom and balcony. The recycled containers used are also affordable, selling to students at 250 to 350 Euros per month (Pilloton, P. 1). This project addresses several social issues and themes, mainly the housing problem that is prevalent across cities, especially around educational institutions. It not only solves the housing problem but does so in quite a dynamic, recreational and creative approach. Besides being easy to assemble, the containers can be either temporary or permanent (Broeze, P. 339). They are also quick to construct, are portable and reusable. Container houses also have greater and easier access. The containers can also be adjusted or customized, depending on the user’s needs. Normally, the construction of student houses often takes months or years. However, the construction must be hastened when thousands of students need to be housed immediately. Container housing in Amsterdam has helped solve the menace of student housing through the facilitation of the acquisition of student housing (Pilloton, P. 1). By extension, more students can access higher education comfortably. The project also improved the financial situation of students by independent housing, inexpensive and respectable-sized rooms. By creating an environment conducive for reading, work and the quality life necessary for college success, the project has upgraded the institution (Broeze, P. 339). It also has the potential to expand if other stakeholders embrace and support it. This paper explores the Keetwonen student housing project in Amsterdam, highlighting its advantages, period of construction, materials, design and construction. Developed by Tempohousing and commissioned in 2005, the project is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands and cost an estimated $32,054,122 USD. It covers 33000 sq. m (Pilloton, P. 1). Just like the Keetwonen City University did, organizations, governments, and individuals should look at the expanding field of container architecture, which reuses shipping containers to construct homes. Averagely, a big shipping container house costs between $150,000 and $175,000 (Pilloton, P. 1). This price is almost half the price per square foot of a home built using conventional materials and methods. For a unit of standard size Intermodal Steel Building Unit (ISBU), the measurements are 40-by-8-by-8 feet. However, there are also 20-foot containers. Typically, a steel container costs between $1,400 and $4,000 while the cost of customizing a container home and fitting with electricity, plumbing, windows and other utilities costs between $50 and $150 per hour (Pilloton, P. 1). The other costs related to container house construction are the cost of the land and that of building the foundation on which the containers are to be mounted (Broeze, P. 339). Image 1: the Keetwonen student housing project in Amsterdam (Retrieved from http://containerauction.com/read-news/shipping-container-dormitory-keetwonen) Emergence of Container Housing Recent times have reported an increase in the number of container towns and cities in the world. Most of these towns and cities are located along the coast, to handle containers from the ships docking at the ports (Broeze, P. 339). However, there are many containers lying in waste at these ports with the relevant authorities finding no use for these containers. Hence, most of these containers pollute the environment and inconvenience the public (Broeze, P. 339). However, in some areas, these containers have been put to productive and sustainable use. For instance, it has taken the ingenuity and resourcefulness of some architects in Amsterdam to convert these containers into student houses (habitat.com, p. 3). A renowned example of these housing projects that use containers is the Keetwonen Student Housing in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the opinion of Tempohousing, a modular design company in the Netherlands, Keetwonen is perhaps the biggest container city in the world (habitat.com, p. 1). Consequently, the containers have been used to build more than 1000 units for students in the Keetwonen Student Housing Project, Amsterdam (Pilloton, P. 1). Besides students’ houses, the Keetwonen community resulting from the project has a supermarket, a café, office space and a sports arena. Keetwonen is among the many modular housing projects and solutions that TempoHousing has invented, designed and built (Pilloton, P. 2). The company is not only fast but also unique in its approach to seeking housing solutions to different segments of the market. Among the key segments the organization targets are student housing, luxury hotels, staff accommodation and ski resort chalets. Key among the pros of shipping container housing are reduced construction time, modular and flexible system (Broeze, P. 340). The units are also characterized by a universal size, allowing for standard shipping vessels such as ships, train or truck. At its initial stages, the idea of shipping container housing elicited a lot of apprehension from the public. The containers’ small size, high noise levels and poor maintenance of climate control were some of the reasons cited for the fear of shipping container housing (Broeze, P. 340). However, once the project was completed and students started getting in, the project became the most preferred student hostel by ‘De Key,’ the student-housing corporation. The houses are now characterised by quiet, well-insulated and spacious rooms, which improve life and add value to students’ money, quite unlike the expectations of noisy and crowded living (Pilloton, P. 2). In fact, these houses are now preferred to other student homes in Amsterdam and its environs. At the begging of every session, students in Amsterdam look forward to moving into their fashionable and well-designed dormitories. Besides the houses, the project has other amenities and offers a sustainable use of the surplus shipping containers. Moreover, the project has fitted rooftops on the units to promote efficient rainwater collection and storage (Pilloton, P. 2). The rooftops also allow heat dispersal. The containers are also insulated from below. TempoHousing designed Keetwonen student housing project. It is a good example of large-scale shipping containers being put to use as a comfortable and affordable space. It thus promotes modern architectural ideas such as sustainable and innovative design, eco architecture and green building (Pilloton, P. 2). The project commenced at the end of 2005 with the commissioning of the first 60 homes. The first phase of 60 homes was completed mid 2006 (Pilloton, P. 1). Initially, it was planned that the houses would be relocated after five years. However, there many benefits have seen the relocation date pushed to as far as 2016. The ability of container houses to be relocated is one reason they are ideal for non-permanent structures. The project is evidence that shipping containers can be used to build homes that are sustainable, green and eco-friendly (habitat.com, p. 1). As is the case with this project, shipping container houses have successes that imply more of these houses should be constructed (Pilloton, P. 1). Description of the Design of the Container Houses Each of the units at Keetwonen student housing project consists of a bathroom, a kitchen, balcony, sleeping space and study space. Each unit has big windows for light and proper ventilation. The windows also have a good view while the rooms are heated from a centrally placed natural gas boiler system. Each home is provided with a 50-litre hot water tank. Each home also has high-speed internet connection and a central audio phone system at the main door downstairs (habitat.com, p. 1). Image 2: the floors of container dormitory at Keetwonen City University, Amsterdam TempoHousing launched converted shipping container housing as a new concept in the Netherlands capital of Amsterdam. It proved to be quite successful, especially regarding students in Amsterdam. Currently, this project is the most populous student hostel under De Key. In the design of the project, the factors of how students prefer their lives to be such as privacy, not sharing toilet and shower with strangers and need for socialization were all considered (habitat.com, p. 1).The design of the units are evidently quite innovative and creative, features attributed to the creative, ingenuous and forward thinking of the architects and designers involved.  Preparation/Inception Phase At the conception or inception stage of constructing shipping container housing projects, it is of the essence to establish the planning and design goals. The contractor should define clearly and evaluate the requirements of the available space. It is also important to review the relevant benchmark standards, codes, and guidelines of the country and local authorities (Broeze, P. 340). The limitations that may result from budget restrictions, regulations and codes should be identified and quantified. In fact, knowledge on these aspects of shipping housing projects plays critical roles in determining the design of a project (Broeze, P. 340). Prior to commencing the Keetwonen student housing project, the contractor had to study the containers closely to learn everything about their structural components (habitat.com, p. 2). It was equally important that the contractors understood the site issues and passive energy potentials. There are two main shipping container designs that the contractor considered; the design that embrace the site and that, which imposes structures on the site. Each design has a unique appeal and adaptability to container building and was thoroughly considered prior to site orientation and the construction of the houses (Broeze, P. 340). Several factors were considered prior to selecting the site for the project. These factors were grade, soil bearing, existing landscaping, potential views, and proximity to easements/site boundaries/roads (habitat.com, p. 2). As in other shipping container structures, the Keetwonen student houses had to be constructed on a site with a consistent soil-bearing capacity. Hence, a flat level area was selected. An advantage of the selected sited is that it required little grading and excavation besides permitting the economical foundation designs for the houses (habitat.com, p. 2).  On-Site Construction of the Container Houses The initial phase of the Keetwonen housing project mainly involved site work, mainly the grading of the site. At this stage, excavation was done for purposes of building the foundation and installation of utilities, septic and storm water management (habitat.com, p. 2). The required utilities were brought to the site and the septic system and storm-water management system installed. Below is a typical foundation slab for container houses for three 40’ containers (habitat.com, p. 2). The foundation can be made of precast concrete panels or poured concrete. In building the foundation, the perimeter was excavated and the trench filled with gravel, for good drainage. The precast panels were then lowered into place using crane then tied together. The panels were then fitted with insulation and exterior water proofing membranes, which are normally fitted at the factory level (habitat.com, p. 3).  Utilities, including water, electricity, and gas supply lines were then run to the base of the foundation and then directed to their respective locations, as outlined in the plan (habitat.com, p. 3). The walls of the foundation were then back-filled, the soil compacted, gravel added, rebar laid out. The slab was then poured. Image 3: The laying of the container house foundation and utilities systems Although, the shipping containers are normally strong prior to any modifications being done on them, modifications before and during the construction process makes them weaker (habitat.com, p. 3). Hence, the strength of the containers had to be confirmed with the help of structural engineers. During the cutting processes in the construction, proper reinforcement had to be done to ensure the structural integrity of the steel containers was not compromised. To ensure the structural integrity of the container walls was not compromised; steel framing was used around the openings resulting from the cuttings. In addition, roof and column supports were used to maintain the structural strength of the steel walls and the roofs.   Image 4: constructing the support, window and door openings and framing The next important processes in the construction of the Keetwonen student housing project were the setting and securing of containers to foundation and on each other. Image 5: Lowering and attaching the containers onto the foundation At the site, the containers were lifted using cranes onto the foundation and then hooked into their right position, with the wiring and utility pipes in place (habitat.com, p. 3). The containers were then welded to join the firmly to the foundation. Because of their heaviness, the steel containers only needed to be fastened at the corners. The containers’ bottom corner blocks were welded to steel plates, inserted in the concrete slab. This process helped secure the houses onto the foundation. All corner blocks were then welded together to secure the containers (habitat.com, p. 3). Image 6: The welding together of the containers after attaching them to the foundation After this stage, the windows were installed, similar to the exterior designs, flashing and sky lights. Prior to inserting the windows, the openings into which they were fitted were accurately measures and cut. The openings were then framed. The images below show the various forms of cuttings for windows and doors, including sliding doors and sidewall panels (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 1). Image 7: The fitting of windows and doors onto the openings The installation of the interior framing, insulation, heating and cooling systems, plumbing, electrical, and the roughing out all fixtures were the other key activities in the construction of the student houses (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 2). In the final phase, the houses were inspected and signed off. In this process, the contractor and the building officials staged inspections of different components of the building such as the foundation, plumbing, electrical and architectural elements of the project (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 1). The Keetwonen container houses were then fitted with conventional hip roofs, which were placed and secured atop the steel boxes. The trussed roof was then fastened with welded metal straps, attached to the steel sides and wrapped around the rafters at four-foot intervals. Simpson hurricane clips were then used to tie the individual rafters to the steel roof (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 1). This tying boosts the security and protection against uplift. The interior of the houses was fitted with 1/2″ plywood floors, which was placed atop a 3/4″ plywood subfloor. Metal had channels were then run along the walls for purposes of fitting the wiring (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 2). Vertical support beams also adorn the interior of the houses. For purposes of interior partitioning, the contractor used metal studs and drywall. The Benefits of the Keetwonen Shipping Container Housing Project The shipping container housing project is an alternative for accommodation because of their lower costs compared to conventional buildings (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 2). They also need less time to construct. Because the units are often made of shipping containers, they are energy efficient, hence helping in the reduction of toxic waste (Sawyers, P. 30). They also help in the conversion of shipping containers into useful materials. Notably, the cost of installing and constructing the houses is lower compared to conventional housing methods. With their proper designs, users of container houses are able to install solar panels and eco-friendly power generation methods, use the space efficiently, and promote green living (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 2). The advantages of the housing project can be summarised under strength and durability, modular, labor, transport and availability (Sawyers, P. 32). Others are expenses and foundation. Under strength and durability, the containers used in the project can withstand heavy load, making their stacking in high columns possible. The containers are also resistant to harsh environments while at the sea. Hence, they stand to last quite long in friendly environments (Imaginationforpeople.org, p. 2). By being modular, it is implied that the containers used in the Keetwonen student housing project have the same measurements. That is, the containers have standard width, height and length. Because of their being standardized, the containers allow for their combination into bigger and higher structures (Sawyers, P. 32). Consequently, the design, planning and transportation of the container houses can be simplified. The structures can also interlock for ease of transportation. At a glance, the cutting and welding labor requirements may seem expensive since they require special skills (Sawyers, P. 32). However, in the end, it is cheaper than the conventional construction methods. Basically, the containers are welded together to attach them. The welding, cutting, and the drilling involved requires more time, skills and different equipment (Helsel, P. 12). An easily recognizable strength of container housing is the ease of transport. As is the case at the Keetwonen student housing project, the pre-fabricated modules are easy to transport, be it by ship, truck or rail. Used shipping containers are also readily accessible across the globe (Sawyers, P. 34). The availability of containers translates into reduced expenses, making container houses cheaper in comparison to labor-intensive conventional brick-and mortar-houses (Sawyers, P. 34). Container houses do not need foundations, except for a little modification. In fact, the four corners of the containers support them. Weaknesses of the Keetwonen Shipping Container Housing Project The Keetwonen container houses are associated with certain cons, especially regarding temperatures, humidity, and construction site. First, steel is a good conductor of heat. Hence, if used for human occupation in extremely hot and cold temperature variations, the changes could be uncomfortable to the occupants (Helsel, P. 10). However, like in the case of Keetwonen student housing project, if insulation is done well, the containers could be better insulated compared to most wooden, brick or block buildings. Consequent to the high conductivity of steel, to control humidity, the steel walls should be sealed and insulated well to prevent air in the moist interiors of the room from condensing against the steel walls. A weakness of the container houses is the need to use cranes or forklift to move them, unlike conventional materials such as brick and block, which can be moved by hand to construction site and even to upper floors. The other disadvantage of container housing is obtaining building permits (Helsel, P. 10). In particular, the use of steel for residential houses is not widely used or accepted. Hence, it could be troublesome to obtain the permission to use them in some areas. In some cases, the process of obtaining the permit could be long, elaborate and bureaucratic (Helsel, P. 12). There are also health problems associated with container housing, especially for vulnerable groups such as students (Helsel, P. 10). For instance, a container used to carry a toxic substance, which many have spilled during transportation or packing could endanger the occupants’ lives (Helsel, P. 12). To solve these health problems, the containers should be thoroughly cleaned prior to occupation, For the Keetwonen project, the interior of the containers were abrasive blasted to reveal the original metal surface. The revealed surface was then painted using eco-friendly and non-toxic paint. The other possible health hazard in container housing is toxic solvents released from the paints and sealants used on the houses. Observably, the roofs of the containers are normally not as strong as the rest of the structure (Helsel, P. 12). Hence, the load on the roof is limited, more often to about 300kg. Conclusion The Keetwonen City University’s student housing projects is an excellent example of the reuse of cargo container to solve the problem of student housing. The steel shipping container dormitories have the advantages of being fast, green, and sustainable approach to construction. The modular and intermodal steel building units used in the container houses can be designed on-site or manufactured in a factory-controlled environment. The latter approach is used whenever standardized units are needed for increased reliable. In this container housing project, the contractor and developer, TempoHousing used shipping containers to construct quickly, student hostels, which fitted into and blended perfectly into the surrounding. The construction of the Keetwonen student houses was categorised into off-site and on-site activities with the former entailing the acquisition of the right containers, tools, materials and gathering the requisite labor. On-site activities included the construction of the foundation and systems for utilities, attaching the containers onto the foundation, welding the containers together and creating the openings for windows and doors. The other key processes were insertion of frames on the openings and fitting the windows and doors. Works Cited Broeze, F. "The Globalisation of the Oceans: Containerisation from the 1950s to the Present." 2002. International Journal of Maritime History (Canada: International Maritime Economic History Association) 15: 439–440. Habitat.com “Keetwonen Container Student Housing.” 2008. Retrieved on November 21, 2014 from http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/08/24/prefab-friday-keetwonen-container-student-housing/ Helsel, S. "Future Shack: Sean Godsell's Prototype Emergency Housing Redeploys the Ubiquitous Shipping Container." 2001. Architecture Australia, 3(6), 342. Imaginationforpeople.org “Keetwonen: Students in Containers.” 2007. Retrieved on November 21, 2014 from http://imaginationforpeople.org/en/project/keetwonen/ Pilloton, E. “Keetwonen Recycled Container Student Houses.” 2007. Retrieved on November 21, 2014 from http://inhabitat.com/prefab-friday-keetwonen-container-student-housing/ Sawyers, P. “Intermodal Shipping Container Small Steel Buildings.” 2008. Wiley and Sons. Read More