At first glance this concept of colourful containers looks more like a game of Jenga than a hotel. But unlike the popular game of wooden blocks, the structure is not intended to tumble over, but instead offers a flexible and harmonious design for a hotel that can generate and grow, shrink and constantly change, as each room can be slotted in and out of a clever frame. The Hive-Inn is designed to be made of recycled shipping containers, transformed into rooms which could be themed and branded by companies, combining accommodation and advertising. A 'core' structure at the heart of the building would maintain structural integrity and act as a vertical lobby to connect different containers. Hong Kong-based architects OVA Studio said its concept could offer lots of advertising opportunity for brands as portions of the hotel could be changed and containers temporarily sponsored by companies like Ferrari, which could design spaces inside and out, so the room is themed and also doubles as a billboard. The firm claims that its design would give fans of brands the chance to stay in a place that is totally of a company’s aesthetic. For example, a container designed by a fashion brand might include decor echoing popular and optimul designs, while one imagined by a car company, could feature team colours and even a modified caravan as a piece of furniture. As partnerships with brands begin and end, the exterior would change and the layout of the hotel evolve, grow and shrink based on demand for accommodation. Although presented as a hotel, the architects see other possibilities for Hive-Inn and think a more basic version of the design could be used in emergency housing or medical care units. They also envision that in the future people could own containers that serve as mobile apartments or offices so that when they travel, their home could travel with them and get a benefit as well.
The Hive-Inn is designed to be made of recycled shipping containers, transformed into rooms which could be themed and branded by companies, combining accommodation and advertising
The hotel would give brands an opportunity to advertise to the outside world as well as let people stay in a themed room. It is not known whether the price of advertising would subsidise the price of staying in such a hotel of the future