A new kind of living
Not too long ago, the notion of living in an 8- by 20-foot box was enough to stop a potential homebuyer in his tracks … and send him running for the exits. The rise of innovative green architecture has created in increasingly in-vogue practice: rejiggering, stacking and linking rugged and versatile freight shipping containers and transforming them into fully inhabitable homes.
An excellent method of reusing — there are more than 300 million shipping containers sitting empty at ports around the world — shipping containers are used to build full- and part-time single-family homes and much more. In their most basic form, recycled shipping containers offer a quick and inexpensive solution to emergency housing needs and when stacked sky-high, they make for intriguing dormitory complexes.
Below are eight particularly eye-catching recycled shipping container dwellings — ranging from off-the-grid vacation retreats to beachside palaces to traditional-looking, three-bedroom family homes — that we wouldn’t mind coming home to (at least for a couple of nights). (Text: Matt Hickman)
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Comments
These are really well designed. Will it ever be seen as a suitable alternative for traditional modular housing? I started to research building a shipping container home and found this article also.
WOW! I was homeless and living in shelters.........WOW! I have been very lucky and now have an apartment for the last 7 years. THIS would be great to build apartments out o! GO!
This would be great for the homeless in our own country...rather than kicking them out of around the rivers etc.
Some very fascinating designs. We have done some unique container house designs ourselves!
http://www.runkleconsulting.com/
This seem s like they can use this idea in Haiti if it is cheaper than supplying mobil homes.Ship supplies in them and have contractors ready to make instant homes for people that have nothing!!Ship the building supplies for each one in the container!But do not let the crooked government near the project becasue they would take them and use them for warehouses for themselves...or homes for their maids!
While deployed in Iraq, we had barracks constructed from shipping containers (aka, connex boxes). Not really that awesome...
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/525/1105081054.jpg
This must be the inspiration for Bill Clinton's presidential library.
Hi Matt,
Thanks so much for posting this. I love reading stories about reuse and posting them on our website. And this container cum house one is a perfect example. On top of it, I am a builder so love these green building solutions.
If you have more reuse examples (or if you've written more articles on them), I would love to hear about them and post to our FB page which will provide a global platform for idea exchange on reuse - e.g. e.g. how do we reuse CDs in Finland, or bicycle.... More
This is genius! Creating a supply of affordable housing is a major challenge and as we add another couple hundred million citizens in the coming decades it could get worse. That's why we need a housing policy that includes "outside of the box" ideas, so to speak. (No pun intended!)
I wonder if Michael Kelly, General Manager of the New York City Housing Authority, knows about this. He'll be speaking on the Radical Housing panel at Innovation & the American Metropolis, April 16.... More
why not turn the containers (shipping) of food and medicine in to homes for the haitians? Just include in the 'package', modest plumbing and electrical assets, and maybe a solar panel and some batteries, maybe some bedding and 'poof!' instant home....maybe Mr. Babbit could contribute...copyright 2010. Bob Titus, Atlanta, GA.
What could be cheaper, more effective and welcomed than a secure home. These dear people are being exposed to the elements and disease. This could be done quickly. What would it take to get this started. I'm one of the many unemployed but would indeed do what I could. Except give money.
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