LOT-EK’s Nine Level Shipping Container Mall for New York City

We've seen how skilled architecture firm <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/index.php?s=lot-ek">LOT-EK</a> is at crafting <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/05/04/prefab-friday-puma-city-shipping-container-store-comes-to-bostons-fan-pier/">individual stores from shipping containers</a>, so why not a whole mall? Conceived for the busy corner of 42nd St. and 5th Avenue in <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/nyc">New York City</a>, this prominent vertical shopping center would be composed of nine levels of shipping containers stacked unevenly to create an undulating facade. What a great excuse to go shopping!

With the economy stalling, there are currently many empty lots or slivers of land sitting stagnant in the city.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/08/07/lot-ek-proposes-pier-made-of-shipping-containers/">Shipping container malls</a> could <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/12/recycled-icebergs-keep-stalled-construction-projects-cool/">revitalize those unused spaces</a>.

Not only are they easier and in many cases cheaper to construct and uninstall than typical buildings, the natural curiosity they breed in people makes them a great tourist attraction which in turn bolsters the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/21/5-green-business-models-that-are-booming-in-hard-times/">economy</a>.

In the 5th Avenue <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/21/shipping-container-rainforest-home-survives-category-5-cyclone/">shipping container</a> mall, each module would serve to house one shop.

A system of catwalks, elevators and stairs would sit between the containers and an adjacent building creating a way for people to travel through the mall as well as outdoor space to enjoy.

To break up the facade, containers are removed in some spaces so that air and <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/daylighting">daylight</a> can permeate the mall.