In order to maintain this uniformity across all mobile units and terminal designs, the mobile architecture units will need to be standardised, but only in terms of supportive infrastructural connections. While we have agreed that these mobile units will utilise as many existing transport systems as possible, it is important to have a standardised size/system that could work across all platforms. While shuddering at the thought of using shipping containers as it is a concept a tad overdone, there is still a lot of merit in the basic principle. Containers can be used on trucks, trains, trailers, boats etc. While available in various sizes, there is still a uniformity, and they utilise the same cranes/lifts/chains/brackets/forklifts/tie-downs etc. to be mobilised. Our principle for individual design direction is to look at how they are used and come up with a mobile unit that may look or be nothing like a shipping container in its final use, but will be transported within the same dimensions and using the same infrastructural connections. This has great sustainable merit in that our mobile units will not require new, expensive, material intensive infrastructural support to function.
The following are images from my research (not my own design) into containers, their limits, their possibilities:
The majority of these examples are of fixed infrastructure, more likely to be used at the terminals, rather than with the mobile units.
Here are a few examples of containers/compact mobile units showing conversion of limited space or how to deal with limited space through connection of multiple units:
The most puzzling part of the mobility system has been how a mobile architectural unit may disembark from its host transport at any time while travelling between terminals (of course this would not be possible with ships…mainly trucks/trains/trailers). This would either require some sort of lifting system built into the host transport (such as a crane) or a lifting device at the required location (eg. crane or forklift). The only problem with this is……how many of these lifting infrastructures would we need, and where exactly should they be located, this idea greatly reduces the flexibility of the distribution system for these units. The most flexible and sustainable way is for the individual units to have a simple inbuilt system that allows them disembark anywhere, not requiring a platform or specialised support. I came up with the idea to use a system like that of ambulance gurneys:
This system would allow the design to unlock from the host transport and slide off the side, it’s legs dropping/being lowered as it begins to cantilever (via perhaps scissor hoist gas struts or . Once separated from the host, it may stay elevated or can be lowered closer to ground level (as it sat on the host transport). From here it can be towed by car/ute/small truck into any township to perform its required service. This process is then reversed to return it to a host transport system on its way back to a terminal.
An interesting video I came across in my research, showing a walking mobile dwelling using gas strut legs, probably not what I will use (due to its speed and over technicality) but worth a view nonetheless:
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