Bertha Heathcote
Since the last decade, there has been a surge in demand for shipping container homes, owing to its low cost of construction and portability. That’s why repurposing shipping containers has become an eco-friendly trend in building space-saving homes across the globe.
They not only offer a chance to own a home for less but also help you do your bit to lead a sustainable lifestyle.
If you desire a low-debt home, follow the likes of Richard and Amy – a couple from Victoria, Australia – who opted for cargo architecture.
The latter has transformed three 20-foot shipping containers into the couple’s dream home with a roof installed with solar panels for off-the-grid living. Located amidst a forest, this unique home is built out of five 20 foot shipping containers.
It features off-grid capability, with onboard solar panels and inverter, a rainwater harvesting system, and a vermicomposting toilet. Constructed entirely as a DIY project, this container home is built by Jaimie and Dave in order to fulfill their dream of living debt and mortgage free.
The container house features a brownish exterior while the interiors are bright with a touch of wood flooring and cabinets.
Made from two 20-foot shipping containers, this 320-square-foot home features a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom to sleep two persons comfortably. It is a single-family residence made out of 21 steel containers stacked over each other to form different living spaces. The containers are angled on the top and bottom, which in turn creates private outdoor space at each level of the house.
There are large glass doors opening to each outdoor deck and bringing in natural light and air. The Las Vegas-based Alternative Living Spaces offers affordable shipping container homes that can be furnished with desired furniture, accessories, and appliances. There are a number of sustainable features, including zero VOC finish, low E windows, recycled HW doors, natural wool insulation in the roof, and insulated exterior cladding for optimal thermal performance.
Featuring an open floor plan, it has a bedroom, bathroom, fully-equipped kitchen, and a living room with a wood-burning stove. The wooden façade and rooftop garden are the most interesting features, designed to leave a lasting impression. Located on the Surf Coast in Wye River, Victoria, House 28 is a unique vacation home made from three 20ft shipping containers elevated from the ground on metal stilts.
The interior spaces are lined with marine plywood and the exteriors are insulated and clad with galvanized steel sheets. Intellectual Tiny Home by Roostspace is a great option for couples looking for a budget-friendly dwelling.
This one-story container home nicely accommodates a bedroom, lounge, closet, kitchen, and bathroom.
These modified container homes are mold, fire, and termite-proof, and are structurally superior to wood framing. This multi-level home features a master bedroom, living room, studio, dining area kitchen, and bathroom. Located 62 miles from New South Wales, this self-sufficient home is made by Paul Chambers and his wife Sarah from two shipping containers.
Created on a small budget, this house is made by Studio Saxe using two shipping containers for the Peralta family to fulfill their dream of living outside of San Jose. The roof between two sections of the house is made from scrap pieces of metal to add a feeling of openness and provide cross ventilation. Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in partnership with Urban Rigger founder Kim Loudrop has transformed shipping containers into sustainable, floating, and affordable accommodations spreading over 680 square meters of livable area. Located on the Copenhagen harbor, the Urban Rigger is a great design for waterfront cities.
Designed by a group of students residing in Israel with the help of the Ayalim Association, these apartments are made from two old unused shipping containers. The WFH house is made by Copenhagen-based Arcgency for World FLEX Home using three shipping containers.
A sustainable bamboo façade, rainwater collection system, solar cell-clad green roof, and permeable paving are some of its features. They work as modular units that can be used to create individual villas or multi-story family homes. The WFH house comprises two rows of 40-foot-high shipping containers, subdivided into bedrooms and a landing on the mezzanine floor. Designed to offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding areas, this modern shipping container home conceals two bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a kitchen, and a bathroom with a hammock bathtub.
Located in Cordoba, Argentina, this two-story shipping container home designed by José Schreiber Arquitecto offers a total of 195 square meters of living space. The house’s exterior and interior are wisely designed using a combination of red, white, and black.
Architect Josué Gillet has used old shipping containers to build this prefab house in France. Three layers of containers are stacked to create a structure and then finalized with insulation, wiring, and other necessary amenities.
The Manifesto House for Infiniski is made mostly out of recycled materials, including shipping containers, wooden pallets, and eco-friendly wood.
The dwelling applies bio-climatic design concepts such as “Forms Follow Energy”, “dress and undress” techniques to obtain passive heating and cooling effects in winter and summer.
Designed by Jure Kotnik Arhitekt, it is an eye-catching container house with pink dots on its black facade. The upper container serves as a projecting roof above the entrance that also shelters the back terrace.
The central section of the house is flanked by shipping containers on two sides, which serve as a bedroom and home office. Architect Pablo Errázuriz has built this shipping container home as his own vacation getaway situated just a few minutes away from the beach near Huentelauquén in central Chile. There are clear PVC plastic walls to cover it up when the weather turns windy or rainy. Chris Bittner of OBR Architecture created the McConkey Residence, combining shipping containers and the natural beauty of the outdoors. Made out of eight shipping containers, the RDP house in Pichincha, Ecuador is an outstanding creation by Daniel Moreno Flores and Sebastian Calero. The materials forming the structure of the house are left exposed in order to remind them of their history.
Located on a hillside of Santiago city in Chile, the Caterpillar House consists of twelve used shipping containers cantilevered on a metallic base. Made out of a shipping container, it is a unique rental cabin elevated from the ground like a modern-day treehouse. The interior space is furnished with amenities and facilities of a small home to ensure a comfortable stay.
This vacation rental home has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large deck to enjoy amidst nature.
This repurposed cargo container getaway located atop Lookout Mountain, Georgia is suitable for two guests. It features a fully functional kitchen with a mini fridge, induction cooktop, a convection microwave, a queen bed, a full bathroom, and many other amenities.
It is a tiny vacation home with a clever exterior design that you can’t recognize it is made out of shipping containers. The tiny container home has a large glass garage door that overlooks private acreage and a river view, and the Shuswap Mountain Range can also be seen from the backyard. This is a custom-built shipping container home that offers 3000 square foot living space.
Its open floor plan and homey touches make this a great place for a family vacation.
There is also a large front porch and back patio, as well as a private balcony off of the master bedroom. Apart from basic amenities, there is also a home office with large glazed panels in the house.
Texas-based firm Poteet Architects has built this blue-colored container house in San Antonio. It comprises a bedroom, living room, kitchen, full bathroom, and outdoor patio.
This unusual shipping container home is designed with the motive to maximize views from each room.
It consists of several cargo containers placed in different orientations towards the sky, opening views and ensuring privacy.
New Zealand-based architect Atelier Workshop created this movable shipping container home prototype. Using hydraulic power, this shipping container house opens up to reveal a room furnished with a bed, couch, dining table, bathroom, library, and light fixtures.
This home is designed to accommodate four persons comfortably with two bedrooms, a living room, and a bathroom at one end. This structure focuses on a different concept where one shipping container is cantilevered over the other to create covered spaces on two sides.
