This project provides sports equipment to youth in the same way that libraries provide books to the public. Where access to sports equipment is limited due to financial limitations, Nike will provide the equipment kids need to practice, learn and play. Instead of building expensive and complicated (permits, zoning, etc) permanent structures, this project uses standard 40-foot shipping containers (sport boxes) that have been redesigned to fulfill this mission. These containers which are inexpensive, will be designed to Nike brand standards and serve as a place for equipment to be stored as well as distributed to kids. Seasonally relevant equipment will be rotated in to keep up with the sports that disadvantaged kids want to play throughout the year. High school athletes would be recruited to staff the sports box under the supervision of a community program manager. ‘Sports boxes’ would give meaningful opportunities for the high school athletes to further themselves off the field as well as provide the kids with role models. Equipment would be loaned out by signing up for a Nike ‘library’ card that would be completed with a parent and provides a phone number in the case of emergency. Having community athletes be responsible for the equipment discourages theft and a record of who has what equipment encourages accountability. These containers are the standard in international shipping so moving them from city to city or country to country is not an issue. This idea can also inspire kids to try new sports that Nike is involved in around the world. A container of rugby and cricket equipment in Detroit? American football equipment in Sweden? The possibilities for getting kids get closer to the benefits of sports are endless.

Who is the sponsoring organization?

zig. We're a group of idea people. We always look for creative ways of solving problems and we think we've found one that meets Nike's objective of giving kids better access to sports. We don't think of ourselves as an ad agency, even though some of the work we do is advertising. We're not a non-profit but a group of people who feel that we can make a difference with this idea and are committed to seeing it through. http://zigideas.com/

Where will the project be located?

Simply put, wherever kids need better access to sports.. There is no one location for this project. It can be implemented anywhere that kids want to play sports but don’t have access. It’s as relevant in the housing projects in Chicago as it is in the shanty towns outside Johannesburg. Given that we are talking about temporary structures the specific sites will need to be considered on a site-by-site basis. Public parks, school athletic fields and housing projects are all viable places.

Do facilities at the location need to be constructed or upgraded?

Yes. Some site prep is required in order to support the container. For hard flat surfaces (asphalt, concrete) very little site prep is required. For grass areas and areas prone to rainfall, keeping the container off the ground will need to be considered. Compared to permanent structures, these costs should be minimal. It is also logical to make sure that there is a place where the equipment can be put to use. Perfectly lined-fields are not a must-have but some sites may need grass seed while others may benefit from patching asphalt for a better basketball court.

Are any further architectural or design services required?

Yes. The containers which themselves are inexpensive need to be renovated to be consistent with what people expect from Nike. They need to serve as storage units and as distribution points so those functional aspects need to be considered. They also need to attract kids through their exterior appearance. To keep the units self-contained electrical hookups need to be considered. Solar power feels like a potential route though keeping them secure might be a challenge.

Would this project benefit from the assistance of construction professionals?

Yes. We would require help constructing any container support systems and moving/handling the containers being loaded/unloaded. Moving containers can be accomplished with a single crane in a short amount of time. If we cannot find a way to have the containers supply their own power we may need help finding a source of electricity.