CUBIX: Sustainability and Creativity Mixed

ENVIRONMENT

words by: D/C FRANZESCA MARI B. BAUTISTA photos by: MDPN. NICANOR S. CINCO III

ScreecH!

– a box was hoisted, its bottom scraping against another metal. The shore crane that lifted it made yet another sound, making the Chinese foreman angry. Inaudible Mandarin shouts resonated throughout the Guangzhou port.

On the other side, numerous trucks are lined up. The drivers grow impatient while waiting for their cargo. They were behind schedule—now they had to rush to get new containers.

Meanwhile, the smell of molten iron filled the air in the factory. Steel sheets are lined up and ready to be assembled. Here, shipping containers will be made—a piece of metal at the center of our world’s economy.

According to Anna Nagurney (2021), about US$ 14 trillion or 54% of the world’s goods are transported via container shipping. In order to accommodate this trade, approximately 1.5 to 2.5 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) worth of containers is manufactured in China every year.

At the onset of the pandemic, substantial commercial demands and port congestion created a container shortage in global markets. Hence, container production peaked at about 5.2 million TEUs. This increased demand has undoubtedly contributed to the current surplus of containers.

Empty container repositioning (ECR) is one of the shipping industry’s biggest problems today. The trade imbalance among regions, specifically export-focused Asia, and import-focused Europe, has caused this dilemma.

ECR occurs when there is an excess of containers in one area because it is too expensive to transport empty containers compared to making new ones. Hence, in China alone, 4.2 million containers were left unused by March 2020.

Meanwhile, 75,000 containers remained unclaimed at the Manila port in 2014. The surplus in containers was so massive that the Bureau of Customs has generated approximately PHP 1 billion in 2021, and PHP 555.44 million in 2022 from selling the contents of 1,257 and 1,898 abandoned containers respectively.

However, this revenue was solely dependent on the cargo within the containers. Hence, thousands more were disposed of or destroyed. This phenomenon in the shipping industry has raised the idea of refurbishing containers into houses, offices, and even pop-up malls.

According to its official Facebook page, CUBIXPARK is a pop-up mall that features a mix of fashion and lifestyle brands, galleries, cafés, restaurants, and outdoor venues for boat and bicycle rides. It aims to bring communities together by providing the best street food, drinks, and entertainment under one roof.

Its vibrantly-colored containers provide a beautiful contrast to the monotonous greens that surround it. It is a goto destination for photoshoots with its romantic gondola rides and Instagram-worthy backgrounds.

Furthermore, it supports everything Ilonggo—CUBIXPARK is home to live performances, artworks, and handicrafts made by locals. The paintings in SelfieBox are made by Mark Fernandez and Boy Antique. Their live acoustic nights feature Khaye, Kirk, the Music & Lyrics band, and other local buskers.

It was able to provide almost 50 Ilonggos with a job during and post-pandemic. Even though its opening was delayed for 3 years, CUBIXPARK is now slowly gaining attention.

“Na-attract ko kay daw ka-aesthetic. Kag permi ko makita ang posts sa social media, daw kanami mag-take sang pictures didto. (I was attracted because it was aesthetic. I always see posts on social media, and it seemed like it was nice to take photos there),” said Josh Antonio, a visitor from Roxas City.

CUBIXPARK located in Iloilo City is a clear example of shipping container upcycling.

Josh also mentioned that he wasn’t aware that container vans can be upcycled into an accommodation. Hence, he was curious to see what it would look like inside as well as where the idea stemmed from. “They [the owners] wanted to use old containers to make it unique through innovation and sustainability,” Marlon Soberano Fernandez, Marketing Officer of CUBIXPARK, answered when asked about the concept of CUPIXPARK.

Sustainability means “an increased importance being placed on use of materials, which are renewable, recycled and non-toxic” as stated by Vijayalaxmi (2010) in her study. Similarly, according to Hoyos and Scharoun (2014), the excess materials in cities have made reusing, reclaiming, and repurposing such items necessary. In CUBIXPARK’s case, a related study has proven that using upcycled containers have 64% less environmental impact as compared to conventional establishments because they used a ready-made product.

—a group of friends drink beer amidst distant laughter and a subtle hum of OPM. The smell of charred meat, grilled vegetables, and oriental spice wafted through the venue on a warm city night.

On the other side, a couple was enjoying their boat ride through the narrow man-made canal. The lights that decked the containers reflected on the serene waters. They took a photo with a seemingly huge Rubik’s cube as their background.

Picturesque boxes gave life to the dreary hues of the city. A splash of color revived barren land and unwanted waste. Shipping containers are stacked—a piece of metal revived through creativity, representing sustainability.

cHeerS!

How long do shipping containers last?

25 years

Shipping containers have an average lifespan of 25 years thanks to a design that ensures their durability when traveling by sea. After manufacturers modify cargo containers and transform them into container-based structures, the container’s longevity remains.

The lifespan of a shipping container is determined by environment, use, and the number of years spent at sea prior to modifications.

source: https://www.falconstructures.com/ blog/how-long-do-shipping-containers-last