This Philadelphia pop-up park was made using recycled shipping containers

Innovative neighborhoods and companies around the world have been leaning toward alternative design solutions to traditional brick and mortar buildings — especially considering the fact that the Earth’s resources are becoming more and more limited each year. Shipping containers offer a trendy option for pop-up events and destinations while promoting eco-friendly production and recycling.

Opened earlier this month, Piazza Pod Park is a parking-lot-turned-pop-up-park made using recycled shipping containers. The containers have been refurbished, painted and turned into spaces for shopping, dining and recreation available for people in the Northern Liberties area of Philadelphia to use and enjoy. The park has been divided into four different sections, all uniquely inspired by different works of art. Each zone has its very own theme and connected attractions.

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Local real estate developer Post Brothers chose to team up with creative production company Britten, Inc. to turn the 35,000-square-foot parking lot on Germantown Avenue and 2nd Street into a mixed-use destination that promotes healthy living and community. The result? Brightly colored, recycled pods that are works of art in themselves and a great reminder that sustainable architecture has the power to positively affect a space.

From the initial shop designs to the custom fabrication to delivery and installation, turning the 15 shipping containers into custom pods only took about four months. The units, also known as BoxPop® containers, range from 10 to 40 feet long; many of them include a combination of air conditioning, upper deck systems, glass windows, glass doors, LED light fixtures, powered retractable awnings, insulation, HVAC, oak flooring and stereo systems. The park is open seven days a week to the public and includes restaurants, bars, cafes, workout pods and boutique shops.

The three fitness pods have dedicated classes for yoga and spin; the shopping pods promote open-air shopping; and the dining pods contain beer garden-style eateries. There are contemporary art installations and community areas, and the whole park is dog-friendly.

Written by Katherine Gallagher

Images via Piazza Pod Park