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Jun 07, 2023A Sparkbox on display in downtown Phoenix. Photo: Courtesy of Steel + Spark
A Phoenix company that transforms used shipping containers into solar-powered homes and offices has been named one of the most innovative housing solutions in the country.
State of play: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development invited Steel + Spark to display its ADA-accessible "Sparkbox" on the National Mall in Washington next month as part of its Innovative Housing Showcase.
Zoom in: Sparkboxes range from 160 to 363 square feet of livable space and don't need to connect to electricity, so they can be installed and usable in a single day, says Steel + Spark co-owner Kathleen Santin
Why it matters: Steel + Spark sees them as a quick and environmentally friendly way to address Phoenix's housing shortage.
Between the lines: There are two Sparkbox models.
1 big flush: The larger Sparkbox has an incinerator toilet that burns waste. Santin promises it doesn't smell bad — just an occasional faint campfire smell outside during a flush.
The latest: Two of each Sparkbox variety have been on display at a city of Phoenix-owned vacant lot since February through a partnership with the city and Arizona Department of Housing.
What's next: Using shipping containers as non-congregate homeless shelters.
What's happening: The city of Phoenix awarded Steel + Spark $2.6 million in December for four "X-Wings" — a modified container project that will each contain 20 sleeping compartments.
How it works: The wings are made of four containers in an "X" configuration. Each container will have five rooms with a bed, desk and cubby.
The intrigue: The X-Wings will be ready July 1 and were supposed to be deployed at the city's new homeless campus at 22nd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, but it is delayed and won't be ready until the end of the year at the earliest.
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State of play: Zoom in: Why it matters: Between the lines: 1 big flush: The latest: What's next: What's happening: How it works: The intrigue: