Freitag Store is World’s Tallest Shipping Container Structure!

You might know Switzerland based company <a href="http://www.freitag.ch/">Freitag</a> for their innovative and stylish <a href="http://www.freitag.ch/shop/FREITAG/shop.jsf">messenger bags made from old truck tarps</a>, but did you know that they have another claim to fame? Their radical <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2006/06/27/freitag-recycled-bags-shipping-container-store/">shipping container store</a> in Zurich boasts the title of being the tallest in the world! The 26 meter (85 foot) high structure consists of 17 white, yellow, orange, blue, red and green containers that are, of course, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycled-materials/">reclaimed</a> - just like the materials they use for their popular bags.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2006/06/27/freitag-recycled-bags-shipping-container-store/">Freitag Store</a> holds another title too. It's also the tallest building in Zurich - of any kind.

The first 2 floors of the store consist of 4 horizontal <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/shipping-containers/">shipping containers</a> each, giving them a sense of stability.

The third and fourth floors are then pared down to just 2 horizontal containers each.

Finally, the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth floors are just one container each, making it seem like the building could topple at any moment - though that's obviously not the case since each level has been secured thoroughly.

On the top floor, there is even an observation deck with binoculars.

The bottom four floors house the actual store with displays and merchandise. The other floors contain areas for storage and a staircase that take shoppers up to the viewing platform.

What a fantastic example of a company walking the walk as much as they talk the talk - extending reuse and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycled-materials/">recycling</a> from their product line into their <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/14/puma-city-shipping-container-store-pops-up-in-nyc/">retail spaces</a>.

The store afire with a fireworks display commemorating its anniversary.