Travelodge has locked on to shipping containers as a cost effective and fast method for its hotel construction. "The 86 containers used in the Uxbridge hotel were prepared in China with plasterboard walls, electrics and bathrooms already in place before being shipped to the UK, stacked and assembled like lego pieces. The containers are simply bolted together and once installed at the site, windows are fitted, the modules are decorated and furnished, and then the exterior of the building is cladded." (Nikki Young in her article "Living in a box") The construction did not require specialized labor and was 40-60% faster than conventional hotel construction. Verbus systems, the joint venture firm that headed up this project, estimated that the shipping container construction saved Travelodge about ten percent in cost. A conventional 100 bed room hotel costing 5 million pounds (7.47 million USD); the shipping container hotel costing 4.5 million pounds (6.72 million USD). Convinced of the success, Travelodge had a second container hotel constructed outside Heathrow by the end of 2008.
There are 120 rooms total and a Bar/Cafe. The hotel uses different container sizes to address the need for family size rooms and smaller double rooms. Despite this fact, the hotel looks like any other budget hotel. Travelodge didn't want its customers to know the difference (other than the lower hotel rate). The aesthetics of the containers are hidden behind clad facades and plaster interiors.
Verbus Systems boasts a 70% reduction of on-site waste because of container construction. However, the containers were shipped half-way across the world as opposed to using containers that are already in the UK.
In conclusion, this was uplifting news that a major hotel chain would use containers in their construction around the world. The project was a proving ground for hotel construction. However, it seems hard to justify a shipment of containers half-way across the world (or farther) when there are containers in sitting in UK. Also, the aesthetics read "budget-hotel". It is disappointing that they did not monopolize on the novelty of a container hotel.
Several articles are written about the hotel here are the best:
" Travelodge Hotel Made from Shipping Containers" Adrianne Jeffries. INHABIT. http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/08/22/travelodge-shipping-container-hotel/
"Living in a Box." Niki May Young. WORLDARCHITECTURENEWS.COM. http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?
fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10217
"Press Release: Europe's First Modified Shipping Container Hotel Opens in London." Travelodge. http://www.travelodge.co.uk/press_releases/press_release.php?id=323
