French Barge Turns Shipping Containers into a Mobile Pool

Posted by admin on Monday, December 19th, 2011

As it turns out, shipping containers are a great recycling material for new architectural projects. They are cheap and abundant, and provide just enough space that they can be easily outfitted into new roles.

A new French barge design will use shipping containers to create an onboard swimming pool for locals. Designed by 2:pm Architectures and Dauphins Architecture, the barge will drift through the Garonne river. Rather than pumping water from the city of Bordeaux to fill its pools, the mobile water park will filter river water to provide a cheap and eco-friendly source of cool water.

The shipping containers themselves – eight in all – will each provide a sort of room for the facilities on the barge, such as a check in room, a restroom, a changing room, and a place to grab some grub.

Despite the massive size of the shipping containers, the barge will have enough empty deck space to allow visitors to throw out a towel and work on their tan. And when the barge is docked, the detachable, modular shipping containers can be removed and stacked off of the barge to provide a bit more space.

Once the barge starts cruising along the Garonne, however, it will offer a much different experience. It will act a bit like a miniature cruise, allowing people to lounge, swim, and soak up the sun as they slowly drift past the city of Bordeaux.

This barge is an excellent example of green thinking. It can provide a fun public space at a low cost, all while reusing a lot of the city’s old materials. And best of all, the filtration system allows the barge to remain relatively sustainable and cost-efficient. Hopefully, this barge will introduce more people to the concept of greener living by showing them the benefits of eco-conscious design.