Jenga-Like Hotel Idea Uses Shipping Containers as Rooms

At first glance, the Hive-Inn resembles a colorful set of stacked blocks that are reminiscent of the fun-yet-challenging game, Jenga. They are much than that, of course, and the individual elements make up a proposed hotel concept by Hong Kong-based architects at OVA Studio. The building, designed for the Radical Innovation Awards, is composed of recycled shipping containers whose modular design allows for rooms to be traded in and out without disturbing the surrounding containers.

This clever concept presents extensive branding opportunities. Since portions of the hotel can be changed, containers could be temporarily sponsored by companies like Ferrari, who would decorate the space inside and out. It would give fans of the product the opportunity to live in a place that's crafted with a brand's unique sensibility and aesthetic. As different partnerships begin and end, the exterior would always have something new for you to see.

Although presented as a hotel, the architects see other possibilities for Hive-Inn. They envision it for use in emergency housing or medical care units. Mobile apartments or offices are another option. Imagine if your home traveled with you as you moved from one country to another – you'd never be far from a warm, familiar place.






OVA Studio website
via [designboom and Co.Design]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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