College dorms aren’t traditionally a breeding ground for groundbreaking architecture and design.
Hell, on many campuses, just having curtains between the showers is a huge selling point.
But a new section of affordable student housing in Copenhagen is out to change that.
Designed by architect Bjarke Ingels, the Urban Rigger dorms are made of upcycled shipping containers that have been modified to float on the harbor and then molded together to make 12 individual student housing units. Each one has its own bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.
The residences are each private, but the modular Urban Rigger dorms are meant to foster a sense of community and include common areas like a courtyard, kayak landing and roof terrace.
While the dorms — and housing projects like them — are still limited to Europe, they could wind up in a harbor near you in the future.
“The concept can easily be assembled in floating apartment blocks of varying size as needed and desired,” according to Urban Rigger. “We offer the patented Urban Rigger concept in all ports, river and canal intensive cities worldwide.”
In addition to being affordable (the individual units rent for $600 a month), Urban Rigger’s dorms can offer downtown city living in areas that are underpopulated as well as provide a housing option that (theoretically, at least) won’t be affected by rising waterfront levels.
“In terms of sea level rise, this is the most resilient form of housing because it moves with the water,” Ingels told Fast Company. “It’s the only building type that will never flood.”
It’s like they say: a rising tide lifts all dorms.
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