WHO Who will occupy the container home? A family of 4 • Who will live in this house? A father a mother and 2 kids (sons) • How many people and how are they related? The mother and father are married and the kids are brothers. • What are their genders and ages? Father (age 29) Mother (age 28) Brother1 (8) Brother2 (age6) • What do they do? The father is a construction worker, the mother is a teacher, and the boys are students. • What are their physical needs? Food and water • What are their emotional needs? Security • What are some key demographical characteristics of the dwelling’s occupants? Who will interact with the container home and its occupants? • Who are the neighbors? Mexicans • How will they interact with the unit and its occupants? Their family and friends • What are some of the main characteristics of the neighborhood and the community? Who will own the house and pay for its construction and upkeep? The father and mother • How long will they want to live in the container house? 5 to 10 years • How would you describe their aesthetic preferences with respect to the container design? Who will live or work in close proximity to the dwelling? • What concerns might they have? • How might a container house design either please or annoy a neighbor? It wouldn’t Who might threaten the safety of the home’s occupants? Gangbangers • Why would they be interested in the occupants? • What physical characteristics or special abilities would they have that could endanger the occupants? WHERE Where will the container home be located? 54th and Kedzie • 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. • What are the annual weather conditions? • What is the proximity to other people or buildings? Find dimensions to the neighboring Structures/buildings. • What are the geographic conditions of the site? • What are the traffic conditions near the site? Heavy traffic • What zoning restrictions impact the design? • How will the site location impact the health and safety of the occupants? It wouldn’t • How will the site location impact the health and safety of people who interact with the house? it wouldn’t Where will the container home be converted into a living structure? • Will the home be constructed on‐site? Yes • Where will the materials for the living space be acquired? A scrap yard Where will the parts used for the container home eventually end up? A scrap yard • Will the materials end up in a landfill or will they be recyclable? Recyclable WHAT What other materials will you need to convert the shipping container into a living space? • Will the materials used need to be durable over long periods of time? Yes • Will the materials have to reflect a certain type of aesthetic? No • Will the budget limit the type of materials that can be used? No • Will certain materials pose a danger to or protect the home’s occupants or those who interact with the container home? No • What types of recycled materials can be used to convert the container in to an affordable house? What types of designs and construction methods are best suited for converting a shipping container? What features will the dwelling need to have to be a livable space? • What are the essential requirements for a day‐to‐day living space? • What special requirements stem from using a shipping container as a primary structure? • What is the ultimate function of the container home? What does this require? WHY Why are you building a dwelling? • Will the dwelling be used for any other commercial purposes such as a home business? • Will it be used for primary or secondary housing? Primary • Will it convey some type of social status? No • Will it symbolize some type of attitude regarding environmental sustainability? Why use a shipping container as a primary structure in a living space? Its cheaper • Why is it a good primary structure? Yes • Why not just build a brand new house from all new materials? Cost more money Why do you see a demand for these dwellings? • What are some specific situations in which this housing could be most practical? • Why is this more sustainable than building a brand new primary structure?