7 Ways To Keep Cool With Refrigerated Shipping Containers

Christchurch company Kiwi Box are experts in the modification and adaptation of refrigerated shipping containers. Brothers, Greg and Steve Flynn are forever coming up with new ways to make these bespoke containers the coolest things their clients have ever seen!

Breaking The Ice Like Never Before

When thinking of refrigerated shipping containers, you can’t be blamed for imagining a giant, walk-in fridge like the one you find at the bottle store. Food and beverage preservation is the obvious use for these majestic fridges, but the real kings of cool are the containers used for purposes that aren’t so obvious. Here are a few to think about next time you sit down with a cold one…

A nice little weekend project for the Kiwi Box crew!

Four For The Realists

Air-conditioned Bach, Sleep-out, Office Or Workshop

You’ve probably seen the huge popularity of converting shipping containers in living and working spaces. This is great, but standard containers aren’t usually insulated, which means that without a lot of work they’ll be freezing in winter and boiling in summer. Temperature-controlled containers like the ones Kiwi Box work with feature extensive insulation, essential to their ability to maintain temperatures between -30c and +30c. They can even be split into multiple spaces, each set to a different temperature so you can have cold/warm storage separate from your living or working space.

This monster takes container homes to the next level.

Off-grid Solar Power Generator

Complementary to your secret getaway or portable office mentioned above could be your power source that helps you stay self-sufficient. The off-grid solar power set-up in the video below cranks out some serious power, and no doubt heat, too. The refrigerated container keeps the valuable equipment out of the elements and at an optimum operating temperature.

This power container may be overkill for your bach, but you get the picture. Beam me up, Scotty.

Seaweed Drying House

Kiwi Box were approached by a commercial seaweed harvester who needed a container in which to dry their seaweed. To prepare the seaweed for export, the harvester needed the ability to control both the container’s temperature and humidity to create the optimum drying conditions.

Getting To The Core Of The Problem

The USA’s National Ice Core Laboratory drilled over 1,500 metres into the Antarctic ice sheet to retrieve ice samples for important climate change research. Naturally they used 25-foot-long refrigerated shipping containers to transport the samples back to their Denver base some 1,770km away. The ice – which will help the scientists construct a 40,000-year record of the earth’s climate – is so clear it looks like a piece of glass.

Three For The Hedonists

Ice Skating Rink

What better way to celebrate a kid’s birthday party or to create your very own winter wonderland than a refrigerated container converted into an ice skating rink. What are you waiting for? Get your skates on!

Curling Rink

When you’re tired and bruised from skating, a little ice maintenance is all that’s needed to turn the same container into a curling rink. With a 40ft container you could stage your own neighbourhood Winter Olympics! There may not be enough room for car curling in just the one container – perhaps that’s best left to the Russians…

Ice Sculpture Art Gallery

They say art is in the eye of the beholder. If you’re talking about ice sculpture art and its temporary nature, it may not be there for long! Wouldn’t an entire gallery of the stuff be cool (that was too easy)? How about a group of refrigerated containers, each showcasing a different work like the amazingly intricate sculptures in this clip?

Whether you’re a realist looking for an accommodation solution or a hedonist who wants to host their own Winter Olympics or an ice art exhibit, the Kiwi Box crew can help and would love to hear what unique refrigerated shipping container project you have in mind. Drop them a line.