Produce in a Cargo Container (#MakeItModular)

Hello, My name is Josiah Miller, and I am a Junior in High School - going to be a Senior. (Homeschooled) I created this entrepreneurial pop up for the (#MakeItModular) contest. I am extremely grateful to both James Devlin, as well as the Autodesk/Instructables staff for making this contest a reality!

So to get into the details, I wanted to create an entrepreneurial pop up to address the need for fresh/healthy food in my community. My community in the Greater Cincinnati area, is a poorer area, and a fair amount of the people in my community do not have reliable means of transportation. Consequentially they are forced to order either online and have food delivered, or walk to the only grocery store in the community which is a Dollar General. (While I have nothing bad to say against Dollar General, they do not sell any fresh fruit or vegetables in my community, and consequentially the main food staples are essentially junk food.) To remedy this situation, I have created this entrepreneurial pop up, called (Gnomes Produce) (I'll get into the title later :) to combat this need. Not only does it completely eliminate the cost of shipping food individually to your own home, which can be quite expensive, it also offers an easily accessible means by which the members of my community can access fresh fruits and vegetables without going to far from their homes.

This instructable will take you through not only the reasoning behind "Gnomes Produce" but also how to design and build it. Furthermore it will also detail the repurposing step, and you will be able to see how this cargo container could be repurposed in the future.

https://youtu.be/nF-ukLvaSUM

(pls watch the enclosed video above)

All you need, is simply a computer, Autodesk Tinkercad, Sketch book, and Maya. (in the future this will require a cargo container, some tools, drywall, wood, electric, solar panels, felt, a large walk-in refrigerator, AC, and metal for signage. (as well as various assorted tools)

First off I needed to find a place in my community where there was a centralized location, which is easily accessible for everyone. I picked behind the town hall, next to the only "shopping center" if you can call it that, in my community.

I am aware that these sketches look pretty horrible. However that was not the purpose. My original purpose was to use Autodesk sketchbook to create a basic template from which I would be able to build off of. The first picture shows, the area in my community where this cargo container could be built, the second shows my thoughts on how to incorporate more than one cargo container into a small area, the third shows what I wanted the outside to look like, and the last picture shows the interior. (this step was wholly for my benefit as I tried to plan the next steps... which are a lot more interesting :)

The next step was to design the shop in Tinkercad. This serves a dual purpose, first you will actually see your basic layout in 3D and be able to make changes to what you planned out on paper, and second you will use these files that you build in tinkercad to ultimately create the OBJ files you download to Maya (or your software of preference) to create the animation. (I hear fusion 360 is the way to go, but unfortunately I always have trouble downloading it. :l ) Anyway, this part of the design will force you to create and analyze all the parts, and possibilities of the design you are attempting to create.

Create your final project in Autodesk Maya, Fusion 360, or whatever other software you prefer. (If you don't have an Autodesk software Blender is also a good choice)

Starting on this step, we will now begin to look at how to create the actual container itself instead of the model. To begin obtain a shipping container 20' long x 8' wide x 9'6” Tall. The shipping container will mostly likely come with a rough or rusty outer shell. (won't look blue and green like this one :) Consequentially a new paint job will be needed, and potentially a sandblasting or sanding job to make the container look neat like the one shown.

Since this entrepreneurial pop up is designed to hold large quantities of fruits and vegetables, a walk in refrigerator must be created. This refrigerator takes up 1/3 of the space in the cargo container, and keeps fruits and vegetables fresh. (In the event that this container is repurposed, the walk in refrigerator could be used to store a wide variety of other food items, from meat, to dairy, besides the aforementioned fruits and veggies) A standard walk in Refrigerator can be adjusted any where from 50 degrees F to -10 degrees F (which would turn it into a freezer) Also the large space, which holds a large quantity of food, also makes it easy to access any and all produce items on the shelves. ( as seen in the second picture)

First we must begin with the insulation. I would recommend a cellulose spray in insulation, as this insulation is much more energy efficient than the standard fiberglass insulation commonly used in most building projects. While the cost is slightly more, the amount of energy saved on heating, cooling, and electric will be huge.

Second we must also install the electrical wiring to power the main order taking station, (POS) as well as the card reader, and lighting. For right now all we will deal with is the electrical work, we will get to the actual power source later.

Third, we must finish off with the walls. Standard drywall is sufficient for our needs in this project. It should also be used for the ceiling. (wood supports will be needed in order to hang the ceiling) This should be finished with a fresh coat of paint.

Flooring is very important. And depending on what you are willing to spend on this project, and whether or not you intend for it to be permanent, you may want to upgrade your flooring to actually tile. However for our purposes today a clean laminate flooring will suffice. Not only is it sufficiently durable, but also can be replaced cheaply, and with little difficulty if it is not meeting the needs of the facility. I would recommend that a clean, non slip mat also be placed inside to cover much of the flooring, and to provide a safer environment.

Shelving is also very important. Not only can you store non perishable food items that you intend to sell, the cabinetry should also be used to keep a small broom, clorox wipes, and other cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, shopping bags, and any other necessities that you might find along the road. Not only does the shelving unit utilize space, but it also provides away to keep cleaning supplies in a safe out of the way place, which will prevent cross contamination with food.

The window is a key element of this shop. Since all customers will be purchasing food from outside, the window should encompass the remaining side of the cargo container (that which does not have the walk in refrigerator behind it) and leave a margin of 6 inches on either side. It should begin 3 feet from the ground, and should extend to about 8 and 1/2 feet. (from ground level) also there should be a waterproof seal around the window, so that when closed, nothing is damaged by rain. There should also be a lock on the inside to prevent burglary.

This air conditioner is not only for the air conditioning of the working space inside the unit, but also for the walk in refrigerator. Because the walk in refrigerator is so large, it requires a larger unit to generate the cold air necessary to keep the refrigerator cool. While there are smaller, neater units inside the walk in refrigerator to do most of the work, the main air conditioner is large enough to provide cool air for both sections of this cargo container without running constantly.

The reasoning behind solar panels is to make this entrepreneurial pop up self sustainable. Not only does this significantly reduce the cost of electricity, as well as make moving and repurposing much easier, it provides enough power to sustain the air conditioner, walk in refrigerator, pos, and card reader. All in all having a large array of solar panels on the top of the cargo container will be greatly beneficial by not only cutting power costs, but also providing reliable power to this entrepreneurial pop up.

Creating the sign is very simple. The sign provides a way for customers to know what you are selling, as well as to promote your brand. How did I pick "Gnomes Produce" honestly... I just asked my little brother to come up with something cool :) :) :) And thats what he wanted to call it, so Gnomes Produce it is! :)

Lighting is important, especially if you plan to keep this store open during dawn or dusk (or even on cloudy days). First it allows you and the customer to see what you are selling, and second it also helps prevent burglary. Security cameras should also be installed on this strip to protect your cargo container, as well as your merchandise.

The produce stand is the main area from which you will be selling your merchandise. While there will be three large crates that can be put outside to hold larger items such as melons and pumpkins, the produce stand will hold the larger variety of your fruits and vegetables.

For lack of a better term we will call this the menu board. Essentially its purpose is to show each and every item that you sell, as well as list the price. This will tell the customer up front what they will be paying for, as well as how much each item costs. Since the produce stand is small, you will want customers to be in and out, in order to make a decent profit. The Menu board will allow the customer to quickly analyze what you are selling, and go from there.

The register is a quick and efficient way for you to ring up the customers order and charge them for it. This system easily allows for both cash and card payments, with the cash drawer being located just below the screen (POS) The card reader is contactless, allowing the customer to use it instead of them having to hand off their card to you, as you see in quite a few stores.

These crates are designed to hold larger items that do not perish in the heat. Such food items include melons and Pumpkins. These crates have wheels on them which allows for them to be moved inside the cargo container during the night so that they cannot be lost or broken. They are 3 feet long, by 1 1/2 feet wide, by 1 3/4 feet tall. This should provide ample space for average melons, as well as allow them to fit in the cargo container itself, between the window and the counters.

These Pamphlets should be free, and available for the customer to pick up with no added cost to them. The purpose of them is to educate the customer on healthy eating. A large majority of the people in my community, and sadly much of America, often eat junk food as a main staple of their diet. Some choose this path, (which they have the right to do) but others simply don't know any better, or don't have access to good fruits and vegetables. This brings us to our mission...

First to provide healthy and good food to a small community with little access to fruits and veggies, and second to educate these people in how to make healthier choices that will impact them long term. These pamphlets are for those who would like to eat healthier, but simply don't know where to begin.

Lastly of course you must stock your store. collect a variety of edible fruits and veggies, and open it up! :)

That's all for the Gnomes Produce store... but what if you want to repurpose it down the road....

Alright, so a few years down the road, you realize that there are other needs in your community that need to be dealt with. perhaps a large supermarket has opened and taken away most of your business... well there are always more ways in which we can help each other, and the first Repurposing measure comes directly from a need in my community, and that is counseling and Rehabilitation.

Counseling : Suicide currently claims about 2% of the United States death rate, especially among those people aged 15-29. Since suicide is a recurring problem in my community, The counseling aspect of this build could be garnered towards assisting those who are undergoing depression, and trying to show these people they truly are loved and valued, as well as giving them a purpose. Suicide statistics are very sad to read, and you may even know someone who is contemplating ending their life. This counseling center could be used to bring "comfort and hope to those who are perishing" 1 Corinthians 1:18

Rehabilitation : This is yet another way we can use something as simple as a shipping container to save lives. Many people have experienced various accidents, or gone through cancer, or other debilitation diseases. Drug abuse is also a large problem in my community. However this Rehabilitation center could be used to assist those who are coming out of a main rehab center, and help them in their final stages of regaining their lives.

These two key elements of repurposing in one container may in fact be one of the greatest assets to a community very similar to mine.

An emergency room is also a key aspect of any community. However there are some communities that have little to no access to good medical care. This is why I propose this Emergency room as a viable repurposing project for my cargo container. Equipped with an x-ray machine, and the ability to perform first aid, as well as assist those with broken bones, or torn muscles and ligaments, this Emergency room can save families in poorer areas huge amounts of money which they otherwise would have spent attempting to gain access to a medical facility that is much further away. But more than that, since it is local, people have the ability to gain quick medical attention when they are injured, which sadly happens far too often.

That is why I propose for my second repurposing project a small Emergency room.

But what if you have more than one need in your community that several cargo containers would be perfect for? I have a simple solution. create a small wooden walkway, and seal it. Now you have the ability to quickly and easily walk between one and the other, and utilize the space in between. Not only does this walkway provide organization, but it is also a beautiful way to utilize the space between each individual cargo container.

Perhaps you have read through my instructable up to this point, and are saying to yourself, I have several needs in my community, but they are not met by the cargo container designs you created. No problem, this walkway can be used for any cargo container model you might create, and only you know the most pressing needs in your community. :)

All in all, I hope you have enjoyed this instructable. I hope you can see how these simple cargo containers could be a huge benefit to the community, and maybe you've even learned a little bit from the experience. I certainly hope so. If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading my instructable. Also thank you Autodesk, Instructables, Tinkercad, and Mr. James Devlin for making this all possible, and challenging me to think "outside the box/cargo container" so to speak. I have greatly enjoyed this challenge. :)