Sixteen 10-foot Royal Wolf containers have been used to create a pop up retail market on the Wellington waterfront.
The “half-size” containers, which appeal to the areas maritime heritage, were the ideal solution to provide a safe and secure retail outlet for stall holders throughout the busy summer months.
Helena Tobin, Wellington Underground Market General Manager, says Royal Wolf’s containers were chosen because they needed structures that were both secure and strong enough to cope with Wellington’s windy weather.
“They are really cute, they open up on one side and let in lots of light and allow the store holders to set them up beautifully. And the aesthetic of the containers is quite important to us because we have a real industrial maritime history and they fit beautifully with that,” she says.
Royal Wolf Wellington Sales Executive, Sean Johnstone, says the Underground Market’s use of shipping containers highlights the versatility of these big steel boxes.
“Royal Wolf is pushing the boundaries of what people would usually think a shipping container can be used for. They can be used for anything from dry storage to chemical storage and pop up retail solutions.
“Christchurch made containers famous and sparked a trend where more people are thinking outside the box when it comes to containers and we are seeing needs for them pop up all over the country.”
He says the beauty of shipping containers, and what makes them so appealing to projects like the Underground Market, is that they are portable.
“We had the containers delivered to the Wellington waterfront, set up and good to go within four hours. Once the project is complete we will pick them up and move them to their next location.”
