Municipal Public Library Made of Used Shipping Containers, Colombia

Floor Plan

About EContainers

Architecture	EContainers
Architects in Charge	Ivan Patarroyo, Jeronimo Arias
Area	116 sq m (1250 sq ft)
Containers	Five: Three 20 ft + Two 40 ft
Photography	Andres Osorio
Location	Santa Helena, Mesetas, Meta, Colombia
Year	2018

Description by architects

EContainers develops innovative spaces in design and comfort based on sustainable and renewable architecture that adapt to all types of industry, thus minimizing global environmental impacts since it gives maritime containers a second architectural life when they reach borders of their transport life. This company develops an architecture with containers that is a green and respectful architecture with the environment since it meets the bases of sustainability "3R: Recycle, Reuse and Reduce".

For this project, they developed a municipal public library requested by the Colombian Ministry of Culture to deliver to the Santa Helena village in the municipality of Mesetas, Meta. This project consists of 5 containers, 3 of 20 feet and 2 of 40 feet, which were restored and adapted for the needs of the municipality in cultural matters.

The shipping container public library has solar panels for its operation and was equipped with approximately 1,400 books, supplied by the National Libraries, with the aim of facilitating the circulation and access to information towards greater knowledge and strengthening the reading and writing processes.

The construction of municipal public libraries, apart from promoting the use of new construction systems that are easy to transport, easy to assemble, economic in their sustainability and rapid in their execution, also contributes to encouraging reading in the population and to more people, especially children and young people, become more interested in cultural and historical issues.

According to Andres Valencia, CEO of EContainers, “Cargotecture or construction with containers responds to the concept of sustainable and renewable architecture that adapts to all types of industry. Replacing traditional construction with modular construction allows us to reduce global environmental impacts and contribute to building a better future”.

The focus of this company is to reach areas of difficult access given the complexity of their geographical conditions, it becomes a challenge and a driving force to continue reaching these, where others do not dare to try. In this way, EContainres is committed to sustainable and innovative solutions, adapting to new dynamics, seeking to protect the planet, setting an example of sustainability with the highest quality and construction standards and adapting them to every need. In addition, it invites other companies to become aware of the environment and contribute to the planet, having environmental sustainability and circular economy as a pillar.

Weekend Retreat Three 20ft Shipping Containers 50 sqm House on Steel Stilts and Concrete Pile Foundations for Anchoring House to Hillside, Victoria, Australia

Floor plans / drawings

About studio edwards

Project	House 28
Architecture	studio edwards
Area	50 sq m (540 sq ft)
Containers	Three 20 ft
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
Photography	Tony Gorsevski
Location	Surf Coast, Wye River, Victoria, Australia
Year	2018

Description by architects

A shipping container house on the Surf Coast in Wye River, Victoria, Australia. Designed as a weekend retreat and made from three 20ft shipping containers. Two connect to form the living space with toilet, laundry and entry. The third acts as a sleeping wing with two bedrooms, toilet and shower. Connected by a external deck on steel stilts which sit on deep concrete pile foundations - anchoring the house to the hillside.

Internally the spaces are lined with marine plywood. Externally they are insulated and clad with galvanised steel sheeting. The northern face of the shipping container house has fixings to allow for planting wires to connect to the ground, encouraging native plants to grow over the house.

The Southern facade is predominately glazed with a series of double glazed doors and windows opening onto the decking which looks southwards through the trees towards the ocean. A green roof planted with native dichondra sits above providing additional thermal insulation, blending into the surrounding landscape.

Hurricane-Proof Shipping Container House Built after 2017 Category 5 Hurricane, Florida

It is no secret that stacked shipping containers on large ocean ships successfully withstand extremely strong winds on the high seas. Therefore, the strength properties of this shipping container house allow it to withstand the next hurricanes like Category 5 Hurricane Irma in 2017. Climate change makes us think that Florida will still have to deal with similar terrible hurricanes in the future.

3D Model

Construction Process

Location and Contact Info

Project	Prince Road Container House
Builder and owner	Rob DePiazza
Area	150 sq m (1600 sq ft)
Containers	9 x 40 ft
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
Location	St. Augustine, Florida, United States
Year	2020

When Hurricane Irma hit Florida in September 2017, Rob DePiazza lost everything. An old tree crashed into the house of the artist from St. Augustine and made it uninhabitable. But instead of giving up, De Piazza drew fresh artistic inspiration from the disaster and turned a long-held dream into reality: to build a house out of containers.

Description by owner

I purchased the original house that resides on this property back in 1988. In 2017, Hurricane Irma caused a large oak tree to snap at the base and destroy the house (while we were in it!), which led to the construction of my current home, the Prince Road Container House. Within two days of the house being destroyed I made the decision to build a container house. Choosing to build a house out of shipping containers meant I had to serve as the general contractor hiring all the sub-contractors and more importantly do much of the work myself. This wasn’t a problem since I had rehabbed a 1908 commercial building occupied by my screen-printing business and other residential projects over the years. Planning unexpectedly took nine months, at which point I ran out of the housing money provided by my insurance policy; this put further strain on funding. Construction was finally completed February 2020.

The overall theme of the hurricane-proof shipping container house is to reveal and celebrate materials and construction techniques that are typically concealed. It starts with the exposed corrugated steel exterior walls of the container from which the paint was removed to reveal the raw core ten steel and the natural corrosion. On the inside I revealed key interior walls that did not require insulation. With the exception of the painted wall in the main living space, I retained the original interior paint of the container along with the patina acquired over the many years of its use; the scuffs, scrapes, and dents that tell the story of the many transatlantic crossings made and the cargo transported.

The list of details of the Prince Road Container House is endless, many of which are intended to give pause to the routine of daily living; from the custom hanging lights I made from ’50s era streetlights to the mild steel kitchen backsplash I installed to display the hundreds of refrigerator magnets we’ve collected from our travels around the world, and finally the “upside down” container whose floor is now the ceiling. In the end, I wanted to create a home that’s not just a house, but a vibrant, cheerful, creative, and inviting space that celebrates living and doesn’t take itself too seriously; a coda I have tried to live by for as long as I can remember.

Common Ground - World’s Largest Modular Shipping Container Shopping Mall Complex, South Korea

COMMON GROUND is South Korea’s first and the world’s largest shipping container shopping mall complex built with 200 shipping containers. It redefines the conventions of retail platforms by reinterpreting the role of culture, and focusing on connecting people for the sake of creating meaningful value for all involved.

Floor Plans / Drawings

Brand Development, Brand Design, Visual System Design

About Urbantainer

About Office 53427

Project	Common Ground
Architect	Urbantainer, Office 53427
Containers	200
Area	5300 sqm
Structural Engineer	PAN Structural Engineering Inc., Gaon ENG
Builder	Kolon Environmental Service Co.Ltd.
Landscape	LIVESCAPE, Seungjong Yoo
Location	Seoul, South Korea
Year	2009

Description by architects

Common Ground is the result of an experiment of revitalising unused land in the middle of the city. By applying prefab methods, e.g. producing modules in a factory, transporting them to the construction site and assembling them on-site, it was possible to reduce the construction time of the 5300 m2 building to five months.

In order to maximise the usage efficiency of the elongated rectangular shaped land, the architectural form is based on a center square connecting two buildings.

At the traffic-heavy main street side, container modules were stacked to give the building exterior more impact and draw attention from passers-by. The mass on the opposite side has been kept open to naturally connect to the visitor flow of the surrounding environment and invite people in more easily.

The two buildings, STREET MARKET and MARKET HALL, are both based on container architecture but are designed with different characteristics in mind.

The containers of the Street Market are arranged in a protruding configuration, highlight the individual modules and give the exterior more impact. The Market Hall is made of 12m long-span container modules which are used as separated shopping booths. Same- sized modules as roof of the hall create a usable terrace area on the third floor.

Platoon Kunsthalle and Pop Kudamm - Mixed Use Shipping Container Temporary Buildings

Kunsthalle Seoul

Kunsthalle Berlin

Pop Kudamm

About Graft

About Platoon

H-Container Home: 40 ft Shipping Container + Extended Space for Kitchen Cabinets + Covered Deck, Argentina

Floor Plans / Drawings

About Parada Cantilo Estudio

Project	H-Container
Architect	Parada Cantilo Estudio
Area	36 sqm (390 sqft)
Containers	1 x 40 ft
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
Location	Manuel B. Gonnet, Argentina
Photography	Luis Barandiaran
Year	2020

Description by architects

Within a family property, we needed to build a minimum dwelling for one of the family members.

On a plot of limited dimensions, a "container" is located with the challenge of being able to transform it into a space that fulfills all the functions required by inhabiting through a series of operations.

The dimensions were determined by the study of the existing artifact, and directly influenced the design, its geometry, horizontal and longitudinal development, creating the pattern of another intervention which was attached to the "container" on both sides by two prisms. One fulfills the services function (extended space for kitchen cabinets and bathroom area), and the other serves as a link between the outer space, giving a sense of continuity to the social part of the cabin (covered deck).

The other areas (living and sleeping) are specified through the service nucleus that articulates the uses of the shipping container home.

Regarding its materiality, the interior space is a warm feeling box defined through a eucalyptus plating on all its sides. Inside it, the white service volume.

The transformation of a given object conceived not for an inhabitable space was a challenge. In that space, we had to hold the life of a person according to their way, trying to achieve spatial continuity throughout its journey and ensuring the interior-exterior relationship as a design strategy.

The Cargo District - Shipping Container Community, Wilmington, NC

Coworx At The Cargo District

Auggie & Zo - Shipping Container Boutique in The Cargo District

The Plant Outpost

Alcove Beer Garden

Location and contact info

About Romero Architecture

About LS Smith

Project	The Cargo District
Architect	Romero Architecture
General contractor	LS Smith, Inc
Location	Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
Year	2019

Romero Architecture

Drawing inspiration from French architect Le Corbusier and his idea that a home is a machine for living, Romero worked to bring that theory and aesthetic into the design of The Cargo District.

From unique mixed-use projects to local headquarters, the region has been growing with the work of many innovative building designers such as Romero.

He’s among the pool of local architects bringing unique touches to developments that are changing the Wilmington skyline and leaving a more modern mark on the city’s commercial architecture through either building reuse, expansion or new construction.

Starting in 2016, Romero joined forces with Leslie Smith, the developer who had the vision for The Cargo District - Shipping Container Community at South 16th and Queen streets. Romero helped bring Smith’s ideas to light.

“It’s a bold development,” said Romero, who brought his architecture firm to Wilmington in 2006.

His work with Smith on The Cargo District brought this urban mixed-use development that played off the trend of using shipping container architecture in a commercial setting.

The project includes nine, one-bedroom live/work units, each with nearly 600 square feet of living space. The building’s key pieces – the 20- foot shipping containers – cost about $30,000 each to rehab for this job, he said.

In his plans, Romero sketched windows at the container’s end to bring light into the spaces, in addition to slot windows, which were designed to minimize cuts to the container’s steel structure. The wooden floors of the container were also refurbished, he said.

There were a lot of city zoning and planning issues “because they have certain codes in this district that won’t allow exposed container sides,” Romero said of the challenges. “So, I had to come up with a way to semi-disguise it but not completely cover the container because we were trying to celebrate the container too.”

“This city has a long history of ships and water and shipping containers … and so there’s something unique in that it ties that history to the modern usage of these things, and I think that’s rare,” Romero said. “The area is somewhat industrial, and that vibe carries through this project nicely.”

1600 sqft Modular Shipping Container Home on Pillars/Stilts on a Steep Lot, Stockholm, Sweden

Floor Plans / Drawings

Construction Process

About Builders/Owners

About Måns Tham Arkitektkontor

Architecture	Måns Tham Arkitektkontor
Structural Engineer	Egil Bartos, Ramboll
Area	150 sqm (1600 sqft)
Containers	8
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
Location	Stockholm, Sweden
Photography	Staffan Andersson
Year	2019

Description by architects

This 1600 sqft shipping container home was built of eight assembled, 20′ and 40′ re-used, high cube shipping containers. The house is built on a steep lot next to a lake, outside of Stockholm. There was a ban on dynamite for the site and there was no room for a slab, just a steep canyon where a lot of rainwater flows toward the lake. That is why the modular home stands on pillars or stilts and land light on the terrain. The structural walls of the containers allowed the upper level to be larger than the entrance level footprint. This way the building adjusts to the V-shaped natural canyon of the site. The clients, a truck driver and a therapist with three kids, have built the house mostly by themselves with big help from their father and father in law who is a skilled welder and used to run a mechanic workshop. The interior is a composition of rare finds and re-used building components.

A shipping container is not a great starting point for a home because of its limited width, 2,4 m. Also, as soon as you take out any part of the corrugated walls between two containers to make a wider room they lose their structural strength. Therefore we had to put a lot of effort into deciding which walls to cut and which to save so that we could use the containers with as little additional structure as possible.

The husband worked for a demolition company and is an avid mechanic with a love for old customized American cars. Re-use and alteration became the way to build the house, much in line with the custom car culture. Salvaged from demolition sites around Stockholm, components like timber planks, metal boards, staircases in wood and steel, and parts of old kitchens were re-used and installed after slight modifications.

Each architectural detail was drawn directly from the raw material that was found. Trust and dialogue rather than standard solutions characterized the building process that included many discussions on-site between the architect, client/builder, and structural engineer. Quick hand drawings complemented the drawing set.

The original proposal and plan were never changed though. In a housing scheme, the plan drawings and the flow of the plan, the ability to always walk towards the light and to have surprising views and diagonals, is regardless if you make a container house or a wood frame house, very important.

This is a modest home for a family with three kids so each square meter had to be planned carefully. The entrance level has a den and a guest bedroom, laundry, and a master bath with a view. The upper level has a living-dining and terrace towards the view and bedrooms in the back towards the forest.

The top container has two functions, a look-out mezzanine where the kids can find solitude but still be around, and also as a light shaft that brings the midday sun into the north-facing living room. Even though the harsh site faces north the living-dining room is flooded with direct sun and the roof terrace has a great evening sun location.

The upper level is connected to the pine tree forest behind the house by a free-spanning eight-meter steel truss sky bridge. The rectilinear world of stacked containers meets the natural form of the hillside. The modular shipping container home stands on steel pillars/stilts on concrete plinths. This eliminated the problem with large amounts of rainwater that flows down the steep hillside. This is very explicit during heavy rains seen from the lower bathroom. It has one big window facing the zen-like view of the canyon rock at the backside of the house. A small openable window to the left makes it possible to hear the birds outside when taking a bath.

The subdividing mullions of each window, together with exterior add-ons that were needed to make the containers up to code (such as railings, chimneys, and water dispensers) were all designed to give the house its own logic and proportions. A composition that dissolves and goes beyond the absolute symmetry of shipping containers.

There is a point where the stacked containers, with everything that is added and modified, cease to be containers and instead becomes an assembled building fixed in a landscape. This point interests the architects and guided the designers through many design challenges with the house.

Portable Cabin - Two Containers Year-Round Living Space / Remote Workplace and Two Containers Storage Space, Poland

Floor Plans / Drawings

About wiercinski-studio

Project	Portable Cabin
Architect	wiercinski-studio
Contractor	Modulo
Area	60 sqm
Containers	4 x 40 ft
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
Location	Poznan, Poland
Photography	ONI Studio
Year	2020

Portable Сabin is a year-round living space made of two adapted shipping containers above storage space, which is also made of two shipping containers. Owners are a couple of brave people who are familiar with temporary architecture and are interested in searching for interesting and difficult to adapt spaces. The implementation of a Portable Cabin as a remote workplace turned out to be a great response to the present times. The facility is currently located at the community garden next to the Szelagowski Park in Poznan, and in the future, it is to go to the forest and ultimately stand on the water. Containers were fully prepared in the production hall, while its transport and assembly on the plot took one day, and only the last internal finishing works remained on site.

The cabin was partially placed on the roof of previously standing containers, which serve as storage space for a garden. Due to the sloping terrain and views, the solid was shifted by half its length, creating a large terrace on one side facing the nearby river, and on the other side, it came closer to the plot, lowering the height needed to enter it. The cabin consists of two cargo shipping containers, 12 m x 2.5 m and 2.9 m high.

By arranging the function inside, which includes a living room with a kitchen, place to work, bedroom, and bathroom with bathtub, it was possible to obtain a total of 54 m2 of usable space and 24 m2 of space among greenery on the terrace. The walls of the portable cabin are insulated with spray foam and finished with birch plywood, which gives a unique atmosphere inside. By using appropriate materials, it was possible to obtain 2.6 m of internal height in the light and to hide the lintel created when connecting container frames.

The characteristic facade made of thick trapezoidal sheet metal was intentionally left to show the sincerity of the raw construction material. The walls are painted a dim green color which blends the object with the surroundings. In the living area overlooking the river, large balcony windows have been installed in the places where the metal gates were located. On the side elevations, windows have been placed in the middle of the wall height to leave as many interior arrangement options as possible.

Openings and windows are squares that stylistically fit perfectly into a simple shape and, depending on their function, combine into double and triple configurations. The facility is complemented by designed external steel stairs and a characteristic arched balustrade on the terrace. The furniture shown in the photos, i.e. a bench, a table and a chair with a round backrest, are also of our design.

The great advantage of this year-round living space and remote workplace is its mobility. In this case, the shipping container home ceases to be a property tied to a specific place, but it can change its location along with the changes accompanying the life of the owners.

Barndominium Style 900 sqft Shipping Container Home with Covered Indoor/Outdoor Space Between Containers, Ohio

Video

Location and contact info

Hocking Hills State Park Contact Info

About Creative Cabinets

About Creative Cabins

Builder	Creative Cabins
Area	900 sqft
Containers	2 x 40 ft
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2
Location	Hocking Hills State Park, Logan, Ohio, United States
Year	2021

L3nee's Lay-Up (pronounced La Nay) is a unique barndominium style shipping container home featuring a half court covered indoor/outdoor basketball hoop.

This home also features 2 shipping containers with 2 private bedrooms (Queen size) and 2 private bathrooms with showers. Full kitchen and the family room with a gas fireplace. Covered outdoor dining space, hot tub, 2 swings, and fire pit.

L3nee’s Lay-up got its name for owners daughter who played basketball since she could walk. Her number as a young player was #3. She went on to play college basketball and still plays today even in her 30’s. Basketball has been a big part of their lives. Owners love the game and wanted to share this beautiful shipping container home with others who feel the same.

Cozy 40 ft Shipping Container Home with Large Windows, Barneveld, New York

Video

Construction process

Location and contact info

Project	The Scenic Orchard
Builders and owners	Emily, Lee & Gabe
Area	320 sq ft
Containers	1 x 40 ft
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
Location	Barneveld, New York, United States
Year	2020

This beautiful and cozy 40 ft shipping container home with large windows is located in Barneveld, New York. The overhangs for the fireplace and hot tub adds great detail to the design. Not much space to work with inside since 40 ft shipping containers are 320sqft but it has it all from a kitchen space, seating area, bathroom, and bedroom. Imagine making up to the sunrise in that bedroom with those huge windows

This shipping container originally stored lawn furniture and sat at the back of the property was as useful as it could be.

Owners didn't hire a construction company to do this shipping container transformation - fortunately they were able to do a lot of the work themselves with the help of one full time worker.

Though, they did hire out independent (extremely talented) contractors for the sheetrocking, spray foam and concrete (as owners did not have a large concrete truck at their disposal nor did they think they could've done a better job than professionals).

Description by Airbnb

This Modern Getaway was thoughtfully designed to bring you a luxurious getaway in mother nature.

Featuring large glass windows throughout the front allows you unobstructed views anytime of the day! Every window does have blinds that you can adjust to your liking as well.

The heated floors allow you to walk freely & comfortably while staying cozy, even in the winter! While, the hot tub is just a few steps away on the outdoor patio that also hosts a large fire pit for you to enjoy!

The interior is based off the simplicity and peacefulness of the surrounding property (The AKaydia Estate) tying in clean and calming colors.

20 ft Shipping Container Home with Space-Saving Furniture

Space-saving furniture

Floor plans

Construction process

About Bernardo Horta Arquiteto

About Cont.Loc

Project	Casulo studio
Architecture	Bernardo Horta Arquiteto, Meius Arquitetura (Guilherme Jose and Giulianno Camatta) and Pedro Lodi
Customization	Cont.Loc
Area	15 sq m (160 sq ft)
Containers	One 20 ft
Photography	Jomar Braganca
Location	Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Year	2015

Description by architects

Concept: The Casulo studio is a changeable space, included in a 20 ft shipping container, where we want to demonstrate how flexible inhabiting can be today. With this, the project allows different “faces” from the same fixed furniture. What we want is a space that is palpable and lived by the user, a space that can be touched and unfolded, not just with a simple look, but with individual curiosity. We imagine an interactive and living place. The idea is that through simple systems new layouts are established providing the use of the environment for different activities. From a living space, a barbershop or even a small residence.

Construction: With the emergence of new construction technologies, the container appears as a new alternative. Basically, its structure is composed of a 20 ft shipping container, which, without proper work, is a dark and unventilated environment. The customization of containers is relatively fast, and many companies make projects aimed at commerce, homes and offices, as it is a construction system that is easy to expand, through a modular system of units that significantly expands the structures.

01. At first, the container underwent a general customization, opening cuts in its walls to make the space more airy. At that time, thermal and acoustic insulation was also carried out using glass wool (recyclable pet), which are placed in the form of a sandwich, between the structure and wooden boards. In these spans, a passage is created for the placement of electrical tubes and hydro-sanitary pipes.
02. The other stage consisted of the internal division of the environment, creating the bathroom and possible programmatic areas. To make the use of space in a more versatile and adaptable way, a changeable piece of space-saving furniture (containing several functions) was designed. That furniture would be formed according to the user's need.

Materials and solutions: An alternating mesh of pallets was used to cover the deck. The pallet is a wooden platform used for moving materials in large quantities. In addition to being more economical than common wood, pallets can be assembled and disassembled as needed and, in the event of a change, all the material can be reused. The choice of the ferrule coating was due to the low cost of this material and the ease of installation. The ferrule plate is produced by gluing thin layers (leaves) of wood. The material has high potential for forest management, due to its rapid growth and abundance of regeneration. The PET Wool used on the walls is an ecologically correct thermal and acoustic insulator, coming from recycled material. Sustainability is its biggest advantage, since it is produced from recycled PET bottles, without the addition of resins, without the use of water or carbon emissions during the process. For the landscaping of the environment, we chose to use only native vegetation. The use of native vegetation brings numerous advantages, and it is important to highlight the suitability of these plants to our climate, their resistance to possible pest attacks and also contribute to the diversification of fauna (being food for local animals).

Lovely Little 3x20 ft Shipping Container Home, Lincoln, Nebraska

Video

Construction process

Location and contact info

Designers, builders and owners	Amera and Josh Nix
Area	480 sq ft
Containers	3 x 20 ft
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
Location	Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
Year	2021

Amera and Josh Nix from Lincoln, Nebraska are designers, builders and owners of this lovely little 3x20ft shipping container home right in the middle of the city. The configuration of the shipping containers makes for a stunning look and a spacious interior. Inside is bright and never lacks space anywhere. The bedroom is up the steps and right off of that is the rooftop patio space. The tiny house is unique is all of its ways.

Shipping Container Restaurant with Inner Courtyard, Brazil

Floor plans / drawings

Location and contact info

About Bernardo Horta Arquiteto

Architecture	Bernardo Horta Arquiteto, Meius Arquitetura, Zargos Arquitetos
Collaborators	Debora Camargos, Joao Pedro Lacerda, Rodrigo Pereira
Area	78 sq m (840 sq ft)
Containers	Four 40 ft
Manufacturers	Cosentino, A3 Marmores, Espaco 670, JP Marcenaria, Oppa, Suvinil, Tenue Origamis, Torino Moveis planejados, iluminar
Photography	Henrique Queiroga
Location	Lagoa Santa, Brazil
Year	2016

Description by architects

The project is based on a simple line of reasoning: open the container for the public and thus invite them to enjoy the space. The colors and combinations complement each other: woods, metals, threads, light, black and red; complementary contradictory elements receive the individual. The main element is the wood that melts the environments creating a continuous space, where the interior and exterior are mixed, adding everything in a coherent way.

The kitchen, in red, superimposes the neutrality of the external colors, attracting attention beyond the space called social and coexistence. In the presumption of a visual impact, the individual is drawn to the base where the services take place: the heart of the restaurant. Finally, the urban art in the external canteen integrates the elements of the bar into the environment, providing all the miscegenation and spatial singularity of the project.

As every shipping container has its industrial air intrinsic to its shape and characteristics, our option was the most attractive for the local public.

Our inspiration was integration, which was achieved through a large opening (front facade to the inner courtyard), bringing the outside in. When we observed that all the environments projected by us would be complementary, we saw the need for this integration.

The main environment was treated in such a way that the wood of the floor covering is also the same for the internal chairs and for the lining (providing the connection). The bar, located in front of the container, will have the same language since we reuse its cutting can to make the wrapper. At the end of it all, we wanted to bring an environment that was a bit more vivid to the space, a place that is usually left in the background or treated as a service, the kitchen. This was painted with warm and strong colors, so that it was not just a common form, but a place of experience and curiosity (the kitchen will work serving the shipping container restaurant).

Casa P406 - 1200 sq ft Shipping Container Summer House, Chile

Floor plans / drawings

Construction process

About Orfali & Ehrenfeld

Project	Casa P406
Architecture	Orfali & Ehrenfeld - Ignacio Orfali, Felipe Ehrenfeld
Engineering	Francisco Ottone V
Collaborators	Joaquín Germain, Victoria Riquelme
Area	115 sq m (1200 sq ft)
Containers	Four 40 ft
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2
Manufacturers	Arauco, Kitchencenter, Dap Ducasse, Ledstudio, Trimble Navigation, Servicontainer, Wasser
Photography	Gonzálo Carrasco A
Location	Quilimari, Chile
Year	2021

Description by architects

Located in Quilimarí, 25km from Los Vilos, a historic town in which cultural remnants dating back to the colony can be distinguished. The project consisted of the design and construction of a summer house located on the slopes of the "puntiagudo" hill, on irregular terrain and difficult to access site. These were main conditions along with the difficult logistics involved in finding labor for the construction of the project. To address it, we think of the modular shipping container structure, to be able to prefabricate the house in the workshop in order to limit the construction process on the ground. Four high cube shipping containers were used, due to their greater free height. Of these, 3 shipping containers were cut in half, joined by dismantling the side panels to form a single environment, with 70m² (750ft²) area. With them we build the lower floor, whose program is mainly intended for the public area of the shipping container home. We place a glazed façade looking for the view of the valley and the distant sea; Its predominantly south orientation left the house with little solar radiation, which is why we developed a continuous skylight adjoining the north wall, so as not to deprive the house of sunlight.

On the upper floor we install the remaining shipping container, which we use for the bedrooms. This space, when complete, extends beyond the first floor with a generous cantilever. To achieve a comfortable habitability, taking into account only 235 centimeters (7.7 feet) wide of the container, we had to remove one of its side panels to attach a V-shaped extension that added 150 centimeters (4.9 feet) to the width at its widest point. As a result of this expansion, as the skin of the container was lost, we installed an exo-structure lined with 2x2” impregnated pine in a proportion of 50%. This allows us, first, to shade and avoid overheating in the summer time, when the shipping container house is most often used, and second, to separate the second level formally and aesthetically from the lower floor – it is like a sculpture that needs a pedestal to enhance its value.

The interior coatings are common and simple: vitrified pine tongue-and-groove wood for the floor, and a white lead color was applied to the walls and ceiling. We think of the furniture in work, counter, bookcase and stairs as dual elements that help to build the interior spatiality while fulfilling their own function: they are sculptural objects that segment and limit the space in zones, but also decorate and fill by mere presence.

Black Box - 4 x 20 ft Shipping Container Home, BC, Canada

Video

Construction process

Location and contact info

About Honomobo

Project	Black Box
Designer and builder	Honomobo
Area	640 sq ft
Containers	4 x 20 ft
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
Location	Kamloops, BC, Canada
Year	2020

Cathi and her husband Trevor downsized to this small space with their unique and modern shipping container home in Kamloops, BC, after their sons had left home and the couple has been living in it full-time ever since. The main house has 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room, and a full bathroom.

It’s built with 4 recycled shipping containers. There’s an additional studio space that’s connected to the main shipping container home with a breezeway and it is set up as a fully self-contained micro cabin, custom built by owners. Plus there's an awesome outdoor kitchen with a dining space and wood-fired pizza oven.

Cathi takes great pride in hosting her unique space with guests on Airbnb and has had success doing so.

Flowers in the Garden by Eu Jin Lim

Diagrams

Floor plans and elevations info

Models

About Eu Jin Lim

Project	Flowers in the Garden
Designer	Eu Jin Lim
Location	France
Year	2020

Description by architect

A `playground’ of communal workspace in a garden located in dry and sunny South France.

Capturing the moments and experiences in the eye of an Impressionist; this project celebrates the outdoors (en plein air), nature as their place of learning, the garden as their studio, creating a blurred boundary between the users and their surroundings.

Staying healthily distanced, but not socially separated; users while working are constantly being frequented with glimpse of nature, a breath of fresh air, and surprising encounters with flora and fauna.

Familiar shipping containers are being rearranged to form an organic but playful structure with soft screens and in-between green-buffering spaces that encourage punctuation of living things, social activities, views, smell, sound, light and air; a diverse ecosystem of perforated mass that is always `breathing’.

(2nd prize winner for CAPSA Containers Design Tomorrow competition)

DIY Small Off-Grid 20 ft Shipping Container Home

Interior

Floor plan and 3D scheme

Video

Construction Process

Project	Gaia
Designer and builder	Joshua Woodsman
Area	150 sq ft (14 sq m)
Containers	One 20 ft HC
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
Project cost	$21,000
Year	2020
Photographer	Jakub Zdechovan

Description by designer

Our planet is increasingly facing many new and difficult challenges. Therefore, it‘s necessary to look for alternative forms of housing that will have a less negative impact on the environment, as well as complement traditional approaches to housing. That is why we at Pin-Up Houses have decided to repurpose a discarded shipping container and fit it out with the most available building materials and latest technology to design a unique independent housing unit. 




The small off-grid shipping container home, Gaia, is an experimental self-sufficient housing project, a so-called Off-the-Grid House. With Gaia, there is no need to rely on external sources of energy or water since this house harnesses solar energy and wind energy. The house is equipped with solar panels, as well as a wind turbine, ensuring your batteries can be charged at all times of the day and all seasons. The battery level, consumption, charging, and other factors can all be monitored remotely by using a mobile app. The house is also equipped to retain rainwater, which is filtered and distributed to the bathroom and kitchen. It is equipped with a refrigerator, water heater, and other 12 V and 24 V appliances according to your needs. Additionally, a higher voltage of 110 V to 230 V can be generated using an inverter. Smart storage space, a convertible sofa-bed, compact stools, and tables are always a feature of Pin-Up Houses. For added privacy and security, the outdoor terrace can easily be folded to close the container using the winch.  

This small off-grid shipping container home is made up of a marine HC 20‘ / 6 m container, wooden studs, and spruce plywood creating the entire interior. The inner walls are sprayed with thermal insulation, ensuring a cozy home. To protect this experimental house from the elements, the container roof is covered with a galvanized corrugated metal sheet, which cleverly extends out beyond the structure to increase the rainwater catchment area that is ultimately collected in a 1,000-IBC tank.  

Sustainable living has never been so easy, nor has it been as necessary as it is now with environmental problems such as global warming and a drastic increase in waste materials. The Pin-Up House Gaia is here to allow you to live in harmony with nature using green energy with style and comfort.

You can buy DIY floor plans and drawings of this container home from its designer and builder here.

Under $100k Mortgage-Free Home? Two Stacked Shipping Containers, Washington

Video

Construction process

Location and contact info

Area	480 sq ft
Containers	One 20 ft and one 40 ft
Project cost	$80 000
Bedrooms	1
Bathrooms	1
Location	Kalama, Washington, United States
Year	2019

With the desire to have a mortgage-free home, Jaimie and Dave have chosen to build a shipping container home. They purchased a small piece of land and spent about $80k turning two metal boxes into beautiful and comfy living spaces. They have stacked a 20ft container on top of a 40ft shipping container, which creates a deck on the upper floor. The budget has been restricted as they have done most of the work by themselves.

This two-story shipping container home has a beautiful brownish exterior with a small roofed section that protects the starting part of the deck. The interiors are bright with a rustic touch of wood flooring and cabinets. There is a spacious lounge, kitchen, bathroom and pantry on the main floor while the bedroom lies upstairs. Another beautiful sight is the abundance of mini planters found everywhere on the shipping container home.

They have included features they would need the most. It is not a luxurious house per se, but a dream mortgage-free home for the couple. The most exciting thing about this build is that the couple has built it on their own, which would have definitely demanded a lot of hard work. The result is really appreciable.

Aside from constructing the shipping container home for under $100k, they have also landscaped the property and built a workshop. They also linked these two structures with a suspension bridge.

Bureau Agreste by Hugues Hernandez, Morgan Baufils and Ariane Marty

Drawings

Project	Bureau Agreste
Designers	Hugues Hernandez, Morgan Baufils and Ariane Marty
Containers	Four 40 ft
Year	2020

The possibilities for shipping container constructions are endless and French company specialized in container design, CAPSA Containers hosted a competition, ‘Design for Tomorrow’ that is focused on innovative and alternative shipping container construction solutions. The winning project is Bureau Agreste by Hugues Hernandez, Morgan Baufils and Ariane Marty.

Organized on 2 levels, the Bureau Agreste is structured around a common central space promoting exchanges in a bright and contemporary environment. Other more confidential spaces are also designed for holding meetings or appointments.

Several solar panels are installed on the roof of the office in containers as well as a rainwater harvesting system give the building its eco-responsible dimension. The use of selected materials in a short circuit continues to establish the responsible dimension carried by the project.