‘Collect Information’ Worksheet: Affordable Container House In order to develop innovative project solutions, it is critical that you develop a clear understanding of all relevant design criteria. This worksheet is intended to help you identify important factors that shape this project by prompting a response to questions in four key categories: who, where, what, and why. WHO Who will occupy the container home? A family will be the residents of this home. • Who will live in this house? A family of four consisting of a mother, father, and two sons. • How many people and how are they related? There will be four residents in this household consisting of a husband and wife and their two male offspring. • What are their genders and ages? There is two adults who are in their early adulthood, one female that is twenty years old, a male who is thirty years old and two adolescences who are one year apart. The younger one who is twelve years old. • What do they do? The mother is an author and the father works for the scholastic company as manager of the department of mergers and acquisitions. The children do not work but go to school one being a student in 7th grade and the other in 6th grade at their local middle school. • What are their physical needs? Safety, social, esteem, self-awareness, water, air, warmth, food, disposal of bodily waste, sufficient sleep, and privacy. • What are their emotional needs? Security, attention, sense of autonomy and control, emotional intimacy, feeling part of a wider community, privacy, sense of status, sense of competence and achievement, meaning and purpose. • What are some key demographical characteristics of the dwelling’s occupants? In 2009, the American Community Survey (ACS) estimated that 65% of the population consisted of racial minorities—33% were Black, 27% were Hispanic/Latino, and 5% were Asian or Pacific Islander. Foreign-born residents make up 21% of the population. Although racially and ethnically diverse overall, Chicago’s community areas are often dominated by a single racial/ethnic group. Chicago’s diverse population brings with it fluency in a variety of languages: over one-third of Chicago residents speak a language other than English at home (data not shown). Spanish is the most common language, followed by Polish. Of those who speak Spanish at home, almost 50% speak English less than very well. Sixty percent of Polish-speaking residents speak English less than very well. Nearly 50% of Chicagoans are between the ages of 15 and 44. Between 2000 and 2010, the largest increase occurred among persons ages 45–64 (from 19% to 22%). The proportion of the population between ages 0–14 decreased slightly during this time period (22.2% to 19.2%). In 2010, 35% of all households in Chicago were occupied by a single individual. Fifty-five percent of all households were family households (the census defines a family household as one in which there is at least one person living in the home who is related by marriage, blood, or adoption to the head of the household). Of all households, 32% were “married couple” families, an arrangement in which the householder was living with a spouse. Housing in Chicago is nearly evenly distributed between rental and owner-occupied units. This contrasts with the rest of the state, in which the vast majority of housing units are owner-occupied. Who will interact with the container home and its occupants? Primarily the only people who will interact with residents and the container homes are the friends of the children and family relatives. • Who are the neighbors? The neighbors are Hispanic and consist of elderly folks. • What are their physical needs? Safety, social, esteem, self-awareness, water, air, warmth, food, disposal of bodily waste, sufficient sleep, and privacy. • What are their emotional needs? Security, attention, sense of autonomy and control, emotional intimacy, feeling part of a wider community, privacy, sense of status, sense of competence and achievement, meaning and purpose. • How will they interact with the unit and its occupants? The neighbors will interact with the occupants socially in parties and issues that the neighborhood wishes to fix together. They will interact with the unit upon being invited by the occupants for whatever reason. • What are some of the main characteristics of the neighborhood and the community? It is a safe community and is quiet calm and quiet although the residents in the homes of the neighborhood do not interact one another, mainly only once a week with one another. Who will own the house and pay for its construction and upkeep? • How long will they want to live in the container house? They wish to live in the house for approximately 10 years and then move to somewhere closer to where their children will eventually live. • How would you describe their aesthetic preferences with respect to the container design? They do not wish for something flashy but rather they wish a home that consist of soothing colors outside and bright and cozy on the inside. Who will live or work in close proximity to the dwelling? Other than street mechanics, no one is expected to work nearby the unit. • What concerns might they have? Everyone is indifferent to the unit and only care for how much noise the construction of the unit make. • How might a container house design either please or annoy a neighbor? The only problem that the container house annoy a neighbor is by coming over to their property, and to please them the home must simply not be hideous. Who might threaten the safety of the home’s occupants? Other than natural dangers of crime that anyone in the area faces, there is no threats to the occupants. • Why would they be interested in the occupants? They might be interested in the occupants themselves and if they are kind people. • What physical characteristics or special abilities would they have that could endanger the occupants? As of now there is nothing the neighbors have or can do that will threaten the occupants. WHERE Where will the container home be located? 3405 W 53rd Pl is where the home will be located. • How much space is available for the container home? Collect the site dimensions and a site plan. Find a location map. Collect photos of the site and adjacent uses. 69 by 116 ft. • What are the annual weather conditions? There are four seasons, with the highest recorded temp 105 °F and the lowest 22.3 degrees Celsius. • What is the proximity to other people or buildings? Find dimensions to the neighboring structures/buildings. Its 5 ft away form a house to the left, 88 ft to a house on the right, 90 ft away from the house across the street, and 20 ft away from the house south. • What are the geographic conditions of the site? Unkown. • What are the traffic conditions near the site? It is not near any traffic. • What zoning restrictions impact the design? Other than property dimensions there and depth limit there is no other dimension restrictions. • How will the site location impact the health and safety of the occupants? It will not impact the health or safety of the occupants. • How will the site location impact the health and safety of people who interact with the house? It will not impact the health or safety of anyone. Where will the container home be converted into a living structure? On site to make it less of a hassle for shipping and maximizing construction speed. • Will the home be constructed on‐site? Yes it will to make it easier for the shipping of the parts. • Where will the materials for the living space be acquired? From all the normal places that material is attained from. ‘Collect Information Worksheet – Container House 2 | P a g e Where will the parts used for the container home eventually end up? They will be reused in future container homes produced. • Will the materials end up in a landfill or will they be recyclable? They will be recyclable for use in future container homes produced. WHAT What other materials will you need to convert the shipping container into a living space? Furnishing, base, outer covering, and installments will be necessary for the conversion. • Will the materials used need to be durable over long periods of time? Yes because this is what a home tries to accomplish. • Will the materials have to reflect a certain type of aesthetic? Unless it’s a desire that the buyers want, it is does not have to. • Will the budget limit the type of materials that can be used? To elevate one of the advantages of a container home, the total sum of the materials used must be relatively cheap compared to if it was a normal home. • Will certain materials pose a danger to or protect the home’s occupants or those who interact with the container home? No the material will not pose a threat to anyone. • What types of recycled materials can be used to convert the container in to an affordable house? The cheapest yet statistically better materials available on the market. Like bamboo flooring. What types of designs and construction methods are best suited for converting a shipping container? Designs that involve simply stacking the container or putting them relatively close, and as well as welding will be best suited. What features will the dwelling need to have to be a livable space? It will have to meet the standards of what a regular home gives to people and as well as not be an obstacle to them either. • What are the essential requirements for a day‐to‐day living space? Room, safe, customizable, unburdening, secure, and private are the requirements. • What special requirements stem from using a shipping container as a primary structure? Special requirements are that the home must maximize the room it can give and not be architecturally insecure. • What is the ultimate function of the container home? What does this require? The ultimate function is that is exactly like a normal home but better in its durability, ease of construction, and financially wise. For this it requires a design that does not make the construction be financially burdensome on the buyer. WHY Why are you building a dwelling? As a class assignment I have undertaken this task of building a dwelling. • Will the dwelling be used for any other commercial purposes such as a home business? The beauty of my dwelling is that it can be used for commercial purposes if necessary. • Will it be used for primary or secondary housing? It will be used for primary housing. • Will it convey some type of social status? No the house can be afforded by any class and will most likely be understood to be bought by financially smart people. • Will it symbolize some type of attitude regarding environmental sustainability? It will make people be more aware of the solutions that will help environmental sustainability. Why use a shipping container as a primary structure in a living space? It is made of corrugated fiberboard which is light weight, recyclable, and strong, with the dimensions good enough for living in it. • Why is it a good primary structure? It structure is made of corrugated fiberboard which is light weight, recyclable, and strong like a normal primary structure. • Why not just build a brand new house from all new materials? It helps recycle the unused containers and produces a home that is easy to make and more affordable. Why do you see a demand for these dwellings? In a time where waste of products just cannot be continued and in a time where the economy is falling, there is a need for the recycling of products to make new ones. • What are some specific situations in which this housing could be most practical? In areas where natural disasters destroy homes, these homes can be used, and for the building of new homes in areas where the economy is failing. • Why is this more sustainable than building a brand new primary structure? With a brand new primary structure it is more expensive and weaker than a shipping container unless made of a heavier and more difficult material to construct with.