Woodlands Shipping Container Co-Op Building: Open Source, Fully Leased

The epic Software Group is now passing around pix of the “creative co-op” building the company painstakingly constructed next to its Woodlands headquarters over the last 18 months — out of 11 recycled shipping containers and a slew of other recycled materials. The 8-ft. x 40-ft. x 9-1/2-ft. containers, explains company president Vic Cherubini, are each 8-9 years old and still rated “sea worthy.” Around that core, the animation, multimedia and web development company production company built an almost-5,000-sq.-ft. building with a large video production studio inside. The assembly sits 50 ft. away from Epic’s own facility at 701 Sawdust Rd., and is now occupied by several creative companies in the area — who pre-leased it before completion.

How’d they put the thing together?

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If you’re willing to dig into the “code,” Cherubini’s happy to explain it all. In the spirit of open source software, detailed plans and engineering drawings for the building are posted on the company’s website — along with a Sketchup model and a blog that chronicles the epic construction process. Included: This handy but brief guide to converting a shipping container into a fireworks stand — or other non-shipping use.

Photos: Epic Software Group

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