designboom book report: quik build: adam kalkin’s abc of container architecture

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since kalkin adopted the recycled shipping container as a primary building block and a dominant obsession
he has worked with that seemingly inert monolith to develop ever-richer sets of overlapping nuances.

content
the architecture of adam kalkin is best known for his use of industrial shipping containers. since the
beginning of his career, kalkin has been repurposing this ubiquitous element of our globalized world into
a building block for his work. this book chronicles the many project built and unbuilt that kalkin has
created over his career. in addition it also features essays by barry bergdoll (the philip johnson chief
curator of architecture & design at the moma) as well as alastair gordon and editor will mclean.

inside the hardcover book is divided roughly into three sections. the first is a small volume included in front
of the full page content. this section features the aforementioned essays and a look at the original quick
house booklet. the second section is an index of kallin’s container architecture projects. thirty-two different
pieces are represented using a mixture of architectural drawings, three-dimensional renderings and
photographs of projects in process and built, in addition to explanatory texts. the final section is dedicated
to full colour photographs of kalkin’s realized projects.

kalkin’s diverse range of projects represents everything from small-scale art installations to large multi-unit
dwellings. the common theme running through all these works is kalkin’s signature shipping container.
in some projects he uses this form as the driving structure, while others integrate the containers more subtly
and in fewer numbers. while he isn’t the only architect examining the shipping container as a building
material, kalkin’s ability to envision infinite possibilities for this humble object makes him the field’s leading
practitioner.

is it for me?
kalkin’s imaginative reuse of the shipping container is captivating to audience well beyond the confines
of the architecture industry. his practice provides inspiration for casual design fans and seasoned architect
alike. this book is a solid look at the art of container architecture through the lens of its leading voice.