Container Homes

Background: The Evolution of Ship Recycling & Labour Challenges

The ship-breaking industry has evolved significantly over the past decades. During World War II, an enormous amount of steel was locked up in warships and cargo vessels. When these ships were no longer seaworthy, they were scrapped, yielding millions of tons of high-quality steel.

By the 1970s, the ship-breaking industry shifted to Asia, with Taiwan initially leading the sector. However, after a tragic explosion and fire in a residential area near a ship-breaking yard, resulting in significant loss of life, the industry faced public outcry. Consequently, the ship-breaking industry moved to safer and more isolated regions, leading to the emergence of Alang as a global hub for ship recycling.

Despite its economic significance, the labour force in Alang faces harsh working conditions, limited access to proper housing, and inadequate social infrastructure. This project aims to address these issues through sustainable design by reusing discarded shipping containers to construct affordable, functional, and well-organized residential quarters for workers.

Project Objectives & Design Approach

The project’s primary aim is to create a self-sufficient, safe, and structured community for ship-breaking yard workers by reusing shipping containers for housing and commercial infrastructure. The key aspects of the design approach include:

✔ Cost-Effective & Sustainable Construction: Reusing scrapped shipping containers for housing to minimize material costs and construction time.
✔ Hierarchy-Based Housing Typology: Providing different housing types based on skill levels:

• 1RK (Room-Kitchen) units for manual workers.
• 1BHK units for semi-skilled and skilled workers.
• 2BHK units for highly skilled workers and supervisors.
  ✔ Integrated Welfare Infrastructure: Establishing healthcare facilities, a community center, and a school to enhance living standards.
  ✔ Efficient Layout & Connectivity: Ensuring easy access to workspaces, healthcare, and educational facilities, with well-planned roads and transport links.
  ✔ Sustainability & Green Spaces: Incorporating green zones, a nursery, and open spaces to enhance livability and environmental quality.

Site Analysis & Connectivity

Strategic Location

The site is strategically located near the Alang ship-breaking yard, ensuring ease of access for workers. Key features of the location include:

• Proximity to Bhavnagar (46 km), the nearest major city, providing essential connectivity.
• 3.6 km from the nearest hospital, ensuring medical accessibility.
• 1.2 km from Swaminarayan Gurukul, a major landmark.
• Bounded by a 24m-wide road on the northern side, serving as a major access axis.
• The ship-breaking yard to the east, a green buffer zone to the west, and informal residential settlements nearby.

Site Features & Challenges

• Labour Living Conditions: Currently, workers live in poor-quality shelters with limited infrastructure.
• High-Risk Work Environment: Frequent accidents, injuries, and health hazards necessitate better medical and emergency facilities.
• Lack of Planning & Infrastructure: The existing area lacks organized housing, sanitation, and public amenities.

This project addresses these challenges by creating a structured, self-sustaining, and well-connected residential environment for labourers.

Proposed Infrastructure Development

1. Labour Housing Units

The residential layout is planned hierarchically based on worker skill levels:

✔ Manual Workers: 1RK Units providing basic amenities, compact yet functional.
✔ Semi-Skilled & Skilled Workers: 1BHK Units, ensuring privacy and better comfort.
✔ Highly Skilled Workers & Supervisors: 2BHK Units, offering more spacious living environments.

The container homes are insulated and ventilated to withstand hot and humid coastal climates, ensuring durability and comfort.

2. Healthcare & Community Facilities

✔ Hospital & Medical Center: Located within 3.6 km for emergency care.
✔ Community School: Providing education for workers’ children, reducing the need for long commutes.
✔ Community Center & Social Spaces: Enabling cultural, social, and recreational activities.

3. Sustainable & Green Design

✔ Green Buffer Zones & Landscaped Areas: Enhancing environmental quality and worker well-being.
✔ Rainwater Harvesting & Solar Energy Integration: Supporting eco-friendly and cost-effective operations.
✔ Nursery & Play Areas: Creating interactive, green spaces for children and families.

Impact & Benefits

✔ Improved Living Standards

• Safe, secure, and well-planned housing for ship-breaking workers.
• Access to healthcare, education, and community amenities.

✔ Cost-Effective & Sustainable Development

• Reusing discarded shipping containers reduces construction costs.
• Modular housing design allows for quick, scalable expansion.

✔ Enhanced Connectivity & Infrastructure

• Well-connected transport links, ensuring seamless access to work, healthcare, and education.
• 24m-wide access road improves overall site connectivity and accessibility.

Conclusion: A Model for Sustainable Labour Housing

The Labour Welfare Infrastructure at Alang is an innovative and sustainable approach to addressing the housing and infrastructure challenges faced by ship-breaking workers. By repurposing shipping containers, we provide safe, cost-effective, and well-designed living spaces while ensuring connectivity, sustainability, and enhanced community well-being.

This government-backed initiative not only improves workers’ quality of life but also serves as a replicable model for future industrial labour housing projects worldwide