World's first 'pop-up' shopping centre opens in UK... made from 60 steel shipping crates

  • Rapper Dizzee Rascal spotted at Boxpark buying trendy caps and jeans

Built entirely from recycled shipping containers, London's latest retail park is not your average shopping experience.

Boxpark opened in east London today and claims to be the world's first ever 'pop-up' shopping centre.

Located on trendy Shoreditch High Street, it is made up of 60 standard-sized shipping containers which are stacked two stories high and five rows wide.

Original: Boxpark opened today and claims to be the world's first ever 'pop-up' shopping centre

Original: Boxpark opened today in London and claims to be the world's first ever 'pop-up' shopping centre

Urban: People walk past Boxpark in Shoreditch today. The temporary structure is created from shipping containers

Urban: People walk past Boxpark in Shoreditch today. The temporary structure is created from shipping containers

But despite its bizarre set-up, the new shopping centre is already proving popular with celebrities and the public alike.

Rapper Dizzee Rascal was spotted buying trendy caps and jeans at the east London site today.

British entrepreneur Roger Wade - who made his name in the 1990s through the fashion label Boxfresh - is behind the park.

Spending money: Rapper Dizzee Rascal took an interest in the caps on offer in one of Boxpark's shops
Keen: Rapper Dizzee Rascal was spotted shopping at Boxpark today

Proving popular: Despite only opening today, Boxpark has already attracted interest from Dizzee Rascal. The rapper was spotted buying trendy caps and jeans

Glamour: Actresses Dani Thompson, left, and Lynsey Carratt at the Boxpark launch party

Glamour: Actresses Dani Thompson, left, and Lynsey Carratt at the Boxpark launch party

Speaking to CNN, he said: 'These containers have a strong symbolism for me.

'When I first started out selling clothes on a market stall, I dreamed of the day I'd be shipping my wares off to Hong Kong inside one of these.

'Now I think it's fitting that something so closely associated with global trade has ended up itself as a shop.'

As well as being highly original and laying claim to be a world first, Mr Wade also believes Boxpark it is the most environmentally friendly shopping centre ever built.

It took a year to complete and has a temporary lease of five years.

'The great thing is, if one of these shops doesn't feel it's getting the most out of this location, they can potentially move to another part of the country with a vacant bit of land,without having to close down or dismantle a thing,' Wade told CNN.

Once the five-year lease is up, the plan is to return the land back to its owners in the same condition as it was before Boxpark was built.

It is then hoped that the community can decide if it wants a more permanent retail space there.





The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.