Johannesburg students are rushing to take occupancy of newly constructed eco-friendly student accommodation made entirely of shipping containers – in Brixton, in Johannesburg’s Region B.
The eye-catching Umhlanga Junction Extension block of apartments, developed by Citiq Properties, sprung up in Caroline Street almost overnight, drawing visitors from near and far to watch the construction process. According to Citiq Chief Executive Paul Lapham, the trendy 75-bed development was aimed at bringing much-needed “life and colour” to the vibey Brixton neighbourhood. Lapham says the development took full advantage of the dedicated cycle lane in Caroline Street, which forms part of the City of Johannesburg’s Corridors of Freedom initiative. This allows students the freedom to “cycle to their lectures swiftly and safely, instead of walking”. According to Managing Director Arthur Blake, students are highly impressed with the unique accommodation. Citiq is now considering adding two more floors to the apartment block and erecting three similar buildings in the area in the not-too-distant future.Quick and easy accommodation
He explains that shipping containers make for an amazingly simple module, with the apartment block erected around basic living modules.The whole project costs around 80% of what it would to build a similar structure using traditional brick and mortar techniques. It took the company only two weeks to complete each floor and the project was ready for occupation within two months.
“Creative design is required to make this a truly attractive apartment block. The shipping containers are combined with different materials, cladding and colours to achieve a modern and appealing appearance,” Lapham adds.
