Portable building
Encyclopedia
A portable building, or demountable building (Australian English
), is a building designed and built to be movable rather than permanently located. A common modern design is sometimes called a modular building
, but portable buildings can be different in that they are more often used temporarily and taken away later. Portable buildings (e.g. yurt
s) have been used since prehistoric times.
The most familiar modern type of portable buildings are designed so that one can be carried to or from site on a large lorry
and slung on and off by a crane
.
Portable modular buildings have various uses. They are often seen, alone or in groups, as temporary site offices on building sites (where they are often stacked two high with metal stairs to reach the upper level; see also Construction trailer
). Other uses for these and other types of portable buildings are as guard shacks
, rural offices, on-site changing rooms, etc. Some portable buildings are very complex by joining units these forming large office blocks. (even over several floors). These are often disguised as a normal building often with brick style cladding and a traditional pitched roof. Tara Park developed by Liverpool City Council have even used portable buildings to create temporary/permanent domestic housing for communities complying with UK building regulations and disabled access.
Due to population increases in many areas, portable buildings are sometimes brought in to schools to provide relief from overcrowding. Portable classroom buildings often include two classroom
s separated by a partition wall and a toilet
.
and the United Kingdom
, the word "demountable" in particular refers to portable classroom
s.
In the United Kingdom
the words "portakabin", "portacabin", "bunkabin" and "terrapin" are commonly used to describe these buildings. However, the use of these words as generic descriptions of portable buildings has caused contention amongst some manufacturers. Spelling with a 'K' is owned by Portakabin exclusively for their products and is a trade mark owned by Portakabin Ltd used to identify its range of re-locatable and modular buildings, and legally should be written with an uppercase P; but "portakabin" or "portacabin" is often used unofficially to mean any portable building of that general pattern. The spelling with a 'c' normally refers to similar temporary buildings made by other companies and Portakabin Ltd argues that the spelling "portacabin" is a misspelling. "Terrapin" , like Portakabin, is a portable building manufacturer, although the term "terrapin building" is often used to describe any modular or prefabricated building. The use of “terrapin” dates back further than “portakabin or “portacabin” as the company has been trading for over 60 years. The phrase “terrapin classroom” arose from the sudden need for additional classroom space following the post-World War II baby boom
era, and is now common usage for any portable classroom
.
Australian English
Australian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....
), is a building designed and built to be movable rather than permanently located. A common modern design is sometimes called a modular building
Modular building
Modular buildings and modular homes are sectional prefabricated buildings or houses that consist of multiple modules or sections which are built in a remote facility and then delivered to their intended site of use...
, but portable buildings can be different in that they are more often used temporarily and taken away later. Portable buildings (e.g. yurt
Yurt
A yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises a crown or compression wheel usually steam bent, supported by roof ribs which are bent down at the end where they meet the lattice wall...
s) have been used since prehistoric times.
The most familiar modern type of portable buildings are designed so that one can be carried to or from site on a large lorry
Lorry
-Transport:* Lorry or truck, a large motor vehicle* Lorry, or a Mine car in USA: an open gondola with a tipping trough* Lorry , a horse-drawn low-loading trolley-In fiction:...
and slung on and off by a crane
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
.
Modern usage
The modern portable building, or "knock-down" building, was first developed by United States firm Porta-Kamp in 1955. The first portable building under the trade name Portakabin was built in 1961 in England.Portable modular buildings have various uses. They are often seen, alone or in groups, as temporary site offices on building sites (where they are often stacked two high with metal stairs to reach the upper level; see also Construction trailer
Construction trailer
Construction trailers are mobile structures used to accommodate temporary offices, dining facilities and storage of building materials during construction projects.-Hook-ups:...
). Other uses for these and other types of portable buildings are as guard shacks
Guardhouse
A guardhouse is a building used to house personnel and security equipment...
, rural offices, on-site changing rooms, etc. Some portable buildings are very complex by joining units these forming large office blocks. (even over several floors). These are often disguised as a normal building often with brick style cladding and a traditional pitched roof. Tara Park developed by Liverpool City Council have even used portable buildings to create temporary/permanent domestic housing for communities complying with UK building regulations and disabled access.
Due to population increases in many areas, portable buildings are sometimes brought in to schools to provide relief from overcrowding. Portable classroom buildings often include two classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
s separated by a partition wall and a toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
.
Alternative names
In both AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the word "demountable" in particular refers to portable classroom
Portable classroom
A portable classroom A portable classroom A portable classroom (in Australian English a demountable and often referred to as a demountable, a "Terrapin" or a "Portakabin" (after the two companies) in the UK and called a prefab in Ireland (not to be confused with a prefabricated building) is a...
s.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the words "portakabin", "portacabin", "bunkabin" and "terrapin" are commonly used to describe these buildings. However, the use of these words as generic descriptions of portable buildings has caused contention amongst some manufacturers. Spelling with a 'K' is owned by Portakabin exclusively for their products and is a trade mark owned by Portakabin Ltd used to identify its range of re-locatable and modular buildings, and legally should be written with an uppercase P; but "portakabin" or "portacabin" is often used unofficially to mean any portable building of that general pattern. The spelling with a 'c' normally refers to similar temporary buildings made by other companies and Portakabin Ltd argues that the spelling "portacabin" is a misspelling. "Terrapin" , like Portakabin, is a portable building manufacturer, although the term "terrapin building" is often used to describe any modular or prefabricated building. The use of “terrapin” dates back further than “portakabin or “portacabin” as the company has been trading for over 60 years. The phrase “terrapin classroom” arose from the sudden need for additional classroom space following the post-World War II baby boom
Post-World War II baby boom
The end of World War II brought a baby boom to many countries, especially Western ones. There is some disagreement as to the precise beginning and ending dates of the post-war baby boom, but it is most often agreed to begin in the years immediately after the war, ending more than a decade later;...
era, and is now common usage for any portable classroom
Portable classroom
A portable classroom A portable classroom A portable classroom (in Australian English a demountable and often referred to as a demountable, a "Terrapin" or a "Portakabin" (after the two companies) in the UK and called a prefab in Ireland (not to be confused with a prefabricated building) is a...
.
See also
- modular buildingModular buildingModular buildings and modular homes are sectional prefabricated buildings or houses that consist of multiple modules or sections which are built in a remote facility and then delivered to their intended site of use...
- prefabricated building
- portable classroomPortable classroomA portable classroom A portable classroom A portable classroom (in Australian English a demountable and often referred to as a demountable, a "Terrapin" or a "Portakabin" (after the two companies) in the UK and called a prefab in Ireland (not to be confused with a prefabricated building) is a...
- Construction trailerConstruction trailerConstruction trailers are mobile structures used to accommodate temporary offices, dining facilities and storage of building materials during construction projects.-Hook-ups:...
- Quonset hutQuonset hutA Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...