Belly Up to the Container Bar

Once a dull neighborhood, Austin’s Rainey Street was in need of an invigorating transformation—and there’s nothing like an iconic bar with a unique design to do the trick. Scheduled to open December 31, Container Bar will be constructed of stacked recycled metal shipping containers assembled to form a central courtyard. Bridget Dunlap, a local nightlife owner with three other bungalow-style venues in the area, is the first to take on such a concept in Austin.

 
New flooring, windows, and artistic accents will enhance the containers, giving each box its own identity via the interior decor. The bar will be fit with classy bathrooms, air-conditioning, and eco-friendly LED lighting. For fun, a movie screen and stage will be included among other amenities. The exterior will remain weathered. Container Bar will be a LEED compliant space.

Contrary to popular belief, Dunlap is not an interior designer but rather a businesswoman; despite the lack of a design background, she has pulled together authentic spaces with a few objects as inspiration, allowing for the rest to fall in place.

 
"Anyone who knows me will tell you that I get easily bored, so I worked out my creative juices and restlessness through developing my ideas for Rainey Street. I love the rough look of the old shipping containers,” says Dunlap. “Container Bar will be a stunner.”

Dunlop's endeavor is just another instance of shipping container architecture to hit the news in recent years. What do you think about the salvaged container trend? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
 
–Raysha Armbrustmacher