This past January, the Geo team had the pleasure of attending the opening of IP.21 at the Box Office—located at 460 Harris Avenue. If you’re wondering what the “Box Office” is—it’s an office building built out of recycled shipping containers.

Focusing on “bringing innovative ideas into business models,” IP.21’s founder and Chief Creative Officer, Seth Goldenberg, picked an office space that mirrors its own creativity and new thinking. The Box Office is an ideal set-up for innovative start-up companies, such as IP.21, who are looking for a low-cost alternative office space. 

In the midst of a huge budget deficit, it’s great to witness more and more young innovators planting their entrepreneurial seed in the Rhode Island market. Interestingly enough, the space itself did not feel like a “boxed office” but rather like a real office space, just constructed out of recycled shipping containers. Most importantly, this green friendly building reportedly reduces energy usage by 25 percent.

Owner Peter Gill Case of Truth Box and designer Joe Haskett of Distill Studio, kept the economy in mind when designing these unique, energy-efficient spaces. Comprised of 32 recycled shipping containers, the Box Office offers “a timely opportunity to promote green building principles and offer high quality design in an economy that demands affordable options,” Case stated in an article by Treehugger.

As I’m sure many of you agree– it’s exciting to see young, entrepreneurial Rhode Islander’s take on more green-friendly initiatives. No time is more pressing than now.