Clemson Begins University Education Program Using ISBU Containers
Simultaneous Programs: Department of Landscape Architecture, and School of Architecture
Clemson University, one of the top private Universities in the United States begins its third month of their research curriculum focusing on the use of ISBU shipping containers.
The university is a member of the Project GreenCube education program and the Clemson faculty has named their research project “SEED” …an emergent housing investment that appreciates locally over time. The SEED program is being developed by faculty and students from two of the university departments.
The project became an official Clemson course in December 2008 and began its first class on January 7, 2009. The principle funding for the Clemson course was provided by Container-It which is the official Maersk distributor for North America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. While Container-It provided the major funding and equipment, the GreenCube Education program, which is funded by the ISBU Association, provided the Clemson University project with educational tools such as CAD, drawings, technical data and other resources to aid in their curriculum development.
Since shipping containers have many uses, the university has begun two complimentary courses this semester; one at the school of Architecture which will conduct research and construction, the other is in the Department of Landscape Architecture which will focus on outdoor designs and art using the ISBU in their many forms.
The faculties heading the programs are Associate Professors of Architecture, Douglas Hecker and Martha Skinner of the School of Architecture, and Visiting Associate Professor Pernille Christensen at the Department of Landscape Architecture. Teams from both departments are working together on the research for the SEED container research project.
All partners to date in the SEED project are: Clemson School of Architecture, Clemson Department of Landscape Architecture and their faculty and student teams, Container-It, ISBU Association (Project GreenCube), Sargent Metals, and Tri-County Technical College Department of Welding.
On March 9 the ISBU containers will be delivered by the Container-It company and set in place on the Clemson campus School of Architecture. The program teams are preparing the site, discussing the best solar angles, and anxiously await their arrival so they can begin the construction process.
“We are extremely grateful to both the Clemson faculty and also Container-It for joining the GreenCube Education program”, says Barry Naef director of the ISBU Association. “The faculty and students have already launched an excellent curriculum and John Stangel of Container-It has been a priceless asset to all of us”.
About 20 more colleges, universities and technical schools will be joining the GreenCube program this Fall semester. To learn more about a GreenCube Education program in your area, whether in the U.S. or globally, please contact our GreenCube staff for more information. The ISBU Association and the GreenCube Network can assist with funding, curriculum development, speakers, and educational resources in your local area or country.
Tags: architecture, cargo, clemson, construction, container-it, education, greencube, ISBA, ISBU, maersk, shipping containers, university