‘Wishcycling’: A seemingly harmless habit costing England millions
October 16, 2023
How to prevent other people using the skip you paid for
November 3, 2023‘Wishcycling’: A seemingly harmless habit costing England millions
October 16, 2023How to prevent other people using the skip you paid for
November 3, 2023
Last year, SunSkips noticed a trend of people using skips for more creative endeavours than simply clearing out their garages or refurbishing the bathroom.
From makeshift swimming pools to giant Christmas trees, it seemed artists had truly thought of every possible way to get a bit of extra fun out of their containers.
But since 2022, we’ve uncovered even more people that have used skip bins to create all sorts of weird and wonderful things, and we think they deserve celebrating.
So here’s nine more of the most creative uses of skips we’ve ever seen.
The Skip House
Image courtesy of Katie Edwards 📸 / SKIP House / Caukin Studio
Harrison Marshall has been living in a house made out of a skip since January this year.
The 28-year-old artist and activist built his London home out of an eight-yard skip in a collaboration between Harrison’s Caukin Studio and Skip Gallery.
Skip House has attracted a lot of attention from locals wanting to get a closer look inside his unusual abode.
Harrison said, “All the neighbours are incredibly friendly. If I’m outside for five minutes, I’ll have at least one or two people from the area come up to me and ask what I’m doing and how I am.”
Skip House is Harrison’s statement about the exorbitant rents in London. He spends just £50 a month on the skip hire and it cost £4,000 to build the home itself.
Deluxe ice-cream parlour
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Last year, a group of savvy artists turned a simple skip into a candy-coloured ice-cream kiosk that offered mental health advice to customers while they beat the heat with a cold cone.
Then in 2023, organisers super-sized, swapping out the eight-yard container they used for Mark I for a 20-yard skip to meet demand.
The sweet treat spot – called The Fandangoe SKIP – was so popular, it earned itself a mini international tour with a stop in Manhattan, NYC.
“The Fandangoe SKIP seeks to connect with audiences on many levels, offering ice-cream as an ageless and classless platform for immediate engagement in a non-pressurised environment,” said project creator The Fandangoe Kid.
Cheeky car park
Not a real-world creative use of a skip, but a good opportunity to share this classic clip from One Foot In The Grave nonetheless.
In this episode, notorious grump Victor Meldrew places heavy boards across his skip to prevent opportunists from using the skip he paid for to get rid of a mattress.
“Ugh. I don’t suppose that will keep it out for one minute, but still…”
“Keep what out?”
“The busted mattress.”
“What busted mattress?”
“The busted mattress someone always dumps in your skip whenever you leave one outside your door.”
But the next morning, he discovers that his attempts to keep his skip for his own private use have been in vain…
(Almost) transcontinental vessel
Ahoy, skip mate!
Last year, we applauded waste management firm Ashville’s ingenuity in converting an old skip into a fully functioning speedboat. Since then, he’s made a few modifications and nearly completed a trip to France!
Daniel Ashville learned from the first iteration of the skip boat and made several improvements to make it more seaworthy, including floatation supports that lower down from the sides and a full windscreen.
After getting approval from authorities and making sure the skip wasn’t his only lifeline if things got hairy by employing an escort boat, Daniel set off on his maiden high-seas voyage.
Unfortunately, the tide and weather made an international trip unviable. Maybe next time, Daniel!
Valuable work of art
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Banksy can seemingly turn any old thing into a glorious work of art, including a skip full of rubbish!
This giant seagull appeared overnight in SunSkip’s home turf of Suffolk (Lowestoft to be precise) and wowed locals and art aficionados who came from far and wide to see it.
Unfortunately, the artwork became a target for thieves and fly-tippers, leading to the landlord removing the side of the building at a cost of £50,000, plus all the preservation and security costs involved while it was there.
MORE: Councils using former SAS soldiers to combat fly-tipping
Skip skeleton
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Technically, there’s no skip involved in this particular piece, but this work by Michael Johansson titled Framework is still a sight to behold.
The shape of the “container” is built using everyday objects that typically end up in skips, including tennis rackets, boat oars, desk lamps, skis and paint rollers.
Framework was displayed at London’s Factory Project in June.
Giant ice-cream pot
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Filling a skip with cold water so you can take a quick dip to cool off is one thing, but pumping one full of ice-cream is next level.
The giant pink pudding by Maja Djordjevic is titled Nothing to Wear Again and was showcased on the ground floor of London’s Selfridges next to Gucci and Balenciaga.
Apparently, it was a chore to get it inside the department store, with only 5cm to spare on either side as they wheeled it through. Would have been no hassle for SunSkips’ steady-handed drivers!
Weird spinning leg thing
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If you thought these skip creations were a bit odd, you haven’t seen anything yet!
Lucy Gregory’s It’s All Kicking Off brightens up the inside of a typical skip with some bright paint and adds flailing legs that guests could take for a spin.
The frankly bizarre creation was exhibited at Factory Project.
Shopping basket
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Exhibited in November 2021, Tipping Point was artist Hayden Kays’ commentary on Black Friday.
The giant shopping basket skip sat outside Margate Train Station, seemingly suggesting we all waste a lot of money on rubbish during the year’s busiest shopping period.
Perhaps he’s right!
We love all these creative uses for skips, but don’t forget you can also use a skip to clear out your attic, garden or make construction waste management far less stressful. Get in touch today if we can help you with a simple skip for your waste in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
