The Container Globe

The renowned Globe Theatre in London, built in 1599 by William Shakespeare’s playing company, was a place where audiences got up close and personal with the players and oftentimes became part of the action on stage. The Globe was where the Bard’s genius came alive. The Container Globe reimagines Shakespeare’s Globe as a modular and cost-efficient structure composed of modified cargo shipping containers, designed as the ideal venue for historically accurate Shakespearian productions, as well as music, dance and live cultural events. The first of these theaters is currently under construction in the Highland Park section of Detroit. Before it can be stripped of harmful materials, retrofitted and repurposed, the average shipping container eventually produces nearly 1,000 pounds of hazardous waste, and since returning empty containers to their point of origin is costlier than purchasing new ones, used containers often languish in shipyards. From a design perspective, The Container Globe is self-subsuming; its components provide the ideal template for a modern- day, steampunk-esque rendition of Shakespeare’s towering yet intimate theater experience. The finished structure will be 20,166 GSF and have a capacity of 1,200 audience members, 650 of which will be standing room in the orchestra section.