Shipping containers used to be simply containers that shipped large items mostly. Though they were used for shipping all sorts of items that was their specialty and main purpose. Now, people, designers, and home builders use these containers to build homes of all sizes. Who would have thought a couple decades ago that some of the most beautiful homes that exist would be made from these industrial items? Home builders are becoming more creative and innovative when it comes to building homes that are fabulous, yet affordable. Home buyers are looking for more green, eco-conscious, and luxurious homes that will not break the bank, but instead are affordable and highly personalized. Besides the tiny house which many are made from shipping containers as well, a home made with shipping container can also be mini mansions. You can create as much space as you need by building with these materials.
The shipping container house started off as rough metal homes utilizing one or two containers, now builders are linking many containers together in many different directions and angles to personalize the homes for their buyers. DIYers are also taking advantage of this trend by building their own homes. All they need is a space where they can build and legally reside in order to make this dream come true. There is no limit to the creative and beautiful homes that can be built this way.
In a way, building with shipping containers is a bit more creative than the average tiny house, because you can place your shipping containers so that they can connect in any shape you desire. Just use your imagination and you can come up with a look and style of of some of the most luxurious homes out there, also made from these containers. We hope to inspire you to use your imagination if you have been thinking of living in a home built from salvaged containers.
Are you tired of traditional homes? Are you looking for something more unique? Perhaps, a building that offers more than just a roof over your head. Here is a company that exceeds these demands. They use innovative technology to create modular custom commercial and residential spaces. Their name is Bachbox and they are located in New Zealand.
What is a modular space? For Bachbox, it is a shipping container that can be placed top to bottom or side to side with another. This means that Bachbox customers have freedom in any design that fits there budget. They can be very small homes or very large homes. They are low maintenance builds which is good news for any home buyer. They are also transportable, so moving doesn’t need to involve looking for a new home! Maybe this will not be your full time residence, or maybe you live in an area threatened with bad weather. Bachbox has anticipated these situations, and is ready to accommodate them.
These builds are earthquake and cyclone resistant. The innovative technology and design used makes these homes airtight. A Bachbox home has steel flaps. When the home is open and there are no storms, the flaps lay down on the ground and create a patio area. In case of bad weather, or if you are leaving the home vacant for the season, you can close the flaps to cover the windows and lock up the home so it is secure! Don’t worry you do not need to manually close the steel flaps. It is all done with a remote control. Remember, low maintenance!
This company is determined to keep their product at its very best. So much so, that they have taken a temporary production break for research and development effective January, 2017. They plan to return with more innovative designs and even better quality products. Their design team will continue working during productions research break. This is good news because Bachbox has a design team with special expertise in difficult site builds. While we look forward to seeing what the new year might bring us with Bachbox, it is certainly easy to appreciate all the great work the company has done thus far!
For more information about Bachbox, find them in our directory.
Many people choose shipping containers as an option for their next home because of the inexpensive construction costs and eco-friendly materials. Not one looks the same, but the interior design does tend to be more minimalistic in nature. They are commonly seen with white walls, bright pops of color, and little done to the outside to disguise its original use. This style is typically chosen because it is fun and quirky, but what about those of us who still long to have the coziness of a cabin or the warmth of richer colors? Well, Hunter Leggitt Studio, must feel that way too because they built a shipping container home that has the look and feel of a cozy cabin!
This Los Angeles based company traveled to northern California to achieve this build for their clients. The clients wanted a weekend getaway for their family that could also accommodate guests. Not only were the recycled materials saving in cost, but the company enlisted the help of eager architecture students and saved even more money on construction.
The exterior of the build does not mimic the original structure in anything other than a long rectangular shape. The first level, posts supporting the roof, and the roof itself are all covered in wooden boards. The majority of these boards have been stained in a dark rich color while the roof and side were left exposed. This creates a really great contrast in color. Each wooden wall is better defined with thin vertical columns running from top to bottom, and the roof displays exposed beams. This works to accentuate the height of the structure rather than the length which diminishes the structure’s resemblance to a shipping container. Plus, these elements add great texture, and that is key to any rustic style. A fun twist on this cabin are the industrial elements incorporated into the design. For example, the top floor exterior looks as if it is made of concrete. It has a smooth texture with a light grey color. This material is carried to the front of the home with the construction of a balcony.
The interior of the home is a perfect example of a collaboration of styles. Vintage, rustic, and industrial elements can all be found in the home’s decor and build. The rustic elements are perfectly embodied in the ceiling and wooden walls. The boards are left defined and accented with a white wash, dark stain, or a light stain to creates a worn look. Vintage elements can be seen with the wing back chair or old guitar in the living room. The kitchen appliances and iron railings, used for the staircase and balcony, are great examples of the industrial elements in the space. The design has a rustic warmth with little extravagance. Overall, this home is a great way to show how manipulating textures such as wood, metals, or fabrics in design can electrify a space as dull as a shipping container!
We know that shipping container homes are a great way to recycle and reuse. We know that they don’t have to be tiny as you could use several, and we know they create a unique aesthetic look. With all of that said, there are still surprises to be discovered in the advancing world of shipping container homes! Don’t believe me? Keep reading.
The Container, located in Thailand, is a company that specializes in designing shipping container homes. The work they are doing is really unique. Their goal is to achieve a home that is specifically tailored to fit the land and resident it is being built for all while looking like a work of art! At first, the concept of a home being a viewed as a form of art may sound silly. In reality, art comes in every form, and The Container homes are certainly worthy of the title. The designs used by this company can be for a residence, office space, or made to be mobile! They cover an array of uses and designs, but for the purpose of this article, we will look at one residential structure.
To review the artistic value of this home, we will be focusing on the exterior design. The home looks to be made of three containers. The first things most people notice when looking at a home are its shape, size, and color. This home has so much more to offer visually. This is not a square home with square windows and rectangular door. This rectangular home has large windows, an angled roof, and containers that are stacked for contrast. This means that the bottom container was placed on the ground and the ones placed on top were set horizontally, creating an almost abstract look to the building. The size of this particular structure looks to be average. The colors used are bold and bright. They grab the attention of any viewer almost as much as the dramatic shapes that are expressed in the structures build.
After noticing the major points, one may notice some of the details that add to this unique home. The windows on this home are very large, in some cases they are the full size of the wall. You will see flaps, that look to be the original container doors, left in tact and set open to accent the large windows. They also add to the odd but intriguing look of the structure. Situated atop part of the downstairs container is a small balcony complimented with a flat roof and iron railing. Both of the roof and the railing bring in more lines and shapes to add to the overall design. To help support the containers on top, there are posts set adjacent to the first level. These allow for a great patio area and facilitate the odd shape of the home. The details of the roof are possibly the best accent to this design. This is because the roof uses the shape of a triangle, but not in the standard sense. An acute triangle has been added to extend the roof of the second level. It lays so that the roof gradually gets taller (or smaller depending which side you look to first) on the other side. This leaves the roof at a unique angle and accentuates the playfulness of the structures overall look.
So, does this qualify as art? I think so. The Container took dirty, dark shipping containers and transformed them into a modern and aesthetically pleasing design with a new function!
It seems appropriate to highlight a holiday rental home with the season approaching us so quickly. In case you are dreading the sometimes overwhelming traditions involved, here is a unique rental that won’t fight the festivities but will most definitely switch them up! How about a holiday in Spain? This shipping container home is a holiday rental located in Castilla y Leon, Spain.
The home is made up of five different containers. Four set on top with the fifth supporting them on the bottom. At 1,184 sq ft, four bedrooms, and two bathrooms, this home is a great getaway for any family over the holidays! The full size kitchen could host any holiday feast, and the large living area allows for everyone to get together. The terrace on the home is a great feature for outdoor enjoyment in warmer months. The design used for this home is what will change your holiday traditions up! Some shipping container homes have been designed to mimic a traditional home. This is not the case with this holiday rental. The exterior of the containers have been left with the original construct which makes for a quirky and unique build. The end walls of the containers have been removed to provide large windows or passage ways into the home.
Inside, you will find lots of natural sunlight due to the large windows on both ends of the home. You will be surrounded by bright white walls accented with bold colors and patterned decor.
The space has a fresh, bright feel that contrasts the warm coziness of the traditional holiday season. This space fits the family comfortably but can accommodate a nontraditional atmosphere for your holiday celebration. The interior walls have been finished so that the inside of the home does not look anything like a shipping container. Rather, the walls are finished as they would be in a traditional home. The full home rents for $175.07USD a day with a minimum of a two night stay. So, get the family together, split the cost if you would like, and have a holiday in Spain that you will never forget!
Sustainability is a concept that we are seeing regularly in new architecture. It is not a gimmick or ploy to get buyers to spend more money. It is a project to create healthy living environments for years to come. Arcgency is one of the companies that is striving for sustainability. This Danish company looks to reuse and recycle materials to create less wasteful architecture that will last longer. Their mission can be seen through the work on the WFH House.
The WFH House is made from three old shipping containers. Simply put, one container placed on top of another while the third is placed parallel to the bottom container. Large holes were cut out of the containers to create space for windows and doors, and construction of a new floor and ceiling were used to join them all together. The end product resulted in a uniquely shaped home with a cool interior that meets the needs of sustainable living. What does this mean? In short it means that this home has a interior climate with low energy consumption. It is built so that you may take it apart and relocate, or reuse the materials for something else….again! Plus, the roof is built to optimize rainwater harvesting which could be used to flush your toilets or wash your dishes. Remember, less waste!
Now, let’s look at the design. The design on the home is inspired by Nordic values. These are defined as flexibility, playfulness, a minimalistic look, and an access to nature among other things. They are easily seen throughout the home. The exterior of the home embodies the playfulness with its quirky shape. A square frame complimented by a dramatically angled roof. The square and rectangular shaped windows bring in plenty of natural light and are minimalistic in nature. The front and back entrances to the home are very large with glass doors that peel back to allow residents the access to nature that is prioritized in Nordic values. Entering in the home, you will find a high ceiling with large sun roofs flooding the open floor plan. The walls are kept white with white or black furniture, and accents of blonde wood. This keeps the miminalistic look going inside of the home. Color is brought into the interior through pieces of abstract art or large patterned carpets which all keep a very playful look. Upstairs you will come upon a balcony that looks over the floor plan below and has access to the bedrooms and home office.
The rooms upstairs have large exterior and interior windows which allows for natural night to move through the home. Overall this sustainable home is made even better by its fresh and modern design!
Homes can be made from a variety of materials. They can be small or large, and can even be placed on water! So why do we still build traditional housing? The simple answer is, there is still a demand for this market. Though, I wonder if some home owners are not aware of other housing options. Unique spaces that could provide healthy, sustainable living without a high cost. Luckily for you, this blog will help keep you informed. Today’s housing market is not just for the suburban “cookie cutter” houses, or modern city lofts. We can find housing in all forms. Here, we will highlight the shipping container home.
That’s right, shipping container! You may have seen this on HGTV , or maybe this is new. Either way, do not be scared off by this out of the box concept. Tim Steele Structures took three old shipping containers and turned them into a large home. Although this is a site specific build, meaning they utilized the land provided to situate the home, we can still look at the interior from a stylistic stand point. Initially, when hearing “shipping container home”, you may picture a dark, cold, industrial space; however, this manifests very differently. Two containers are placed parallel to each other to create the first floor of the home. During the build they are connected through the construction of a roof and floor. The third container is used to create the level below. The removal of large sections from the exterior walls allows for windows. This means that the shipping containers that were once dark are now filled with natural light. Inside the containers interior walls were removed and adjusted to create generous passage ways through the home. An open floor plan is used to provide a large space that can be manipulated by design. This floor plan gives the resident freedom to place their furniture and other items where they see fit.
The exterior walls, with the exception of the newly built windows, are left in the original container structure. This particular home was left with an orange color. If this were a problem to a different home owner, new paint would make it an easy fix! The best part of using a basic structure, such as a shipping container, for a home is that it allows for a variety of designs. There is no specific style that works best with this interior which means there is a lot you could do. You could create a contemporary space using glass table tops, ghost chairs, clean lines, modern furniture, and accenting with a geometric pattern or a bright color. For a more rustic space, paint the walls, distress the furniture, and accent with textured pieces (knit blankets, wooden decor ect.). An industrial space would compliment the original usage and be easily achieved with dramatic drapes, tufted furniture, and steal accents. Of course, it would also be fun to combine complimentary styles too!
The point is that a shipping container home is not only a environmentally friendly build (recycling materials), but it is also a great opportunity for you to get exactly what you want in your home! With the market being as expensive as it is, why should anyone settle for anything less?
A unique shipping container castle … with a stair-tower to rooftop patio! It’s unusual in every way, and it was built on a budget. This amazing shipping container home was sent in by one of the members of the Cool Stuff Interesting Stuff News page, Ronda Rowan. Here’s her guest post:
“My husband and myself built this home out of three 40′ shipping containers. We had a 30k cash budget to build with.
“Our county allowed us to build with an owner/builder opt-out no inspections permit. We followed all fire, safety codes and had prior land inspections. We started with a building list for supplies and a tight budget. Welding, cutting, grinding took 6 months, many hours of hard work.
“As my husband welded, I would draw up my ideas of what I wanted constructed. Our home is very unusual in every way. We insulated the containers underneath with 2″ closed cell sprayfoam, ceilings interior 5″ open cell sprayfoam insulation, exterior 5” closed cell sprayfoam insulation, then painted to preserve insulation.
“We live in Arizona desert where temperatures reach 115 summer, 10 at night in winter so we didn’t want the metal containers to transfer the heat or cold. Keeping our cooling/heating costs minimal, it works excellent.
“Our stair-tower was an old water tank we reused and welded stairs inside to access the rooftop patio. To make it look different added top to appear to be a castle.
“We have been given many unique pieces of metal objects to add to our home turning them into pieces of art. They each have a special meaning to us. We owe no debt, no mortgage, and build our home with our own hands. We are very proud to become the first shipping container home allowed to build in our county in southern Arizona. We are the ambassadors of future builders in our area.”
What does it take to build a shipping container house?
Building a container house may seem simple. Just connect two, three or however many used containers in a house. The final cost of the container house includes more than just a couple shipping containers, though, because naturally you need to arrange the containers and building site, and outfit the building for living.
The price of the package is important. But the price of the what’s in the shipping home is also important: doors, fittings, finishes, heating …
NOTE: There are photos to illustrate the sizes of these containers and the types of homes at the bottom of the article. It might be best to go down there and look through them first, so you can know what’s being explained. You can also refer to the images as you go along.
HOW MUCH DOES A CONTAINER COST?
To build a house you need a container or multiple containers. They come both new or used. A container can be purchased from your dealer. Suppliers are often in large commercial ports.
40 foot container: A container costs between $2200 and $3300 US.
It takes one or two containers to build up a cabin or a small house. The shipping containers come painted. Transportation and installation of the package has an additional price. An old container can cost much less, but you have to buy a waterproof container, so make sure it meets that requirement.
The price of the container also depends on the manufacture, and on the quantity purchased. The price to buy 1 or 10 containers is not the same. For a good price, the used container is a better deal. The best solution is to go to a port or containers are numerous and where providers are also numerous.
Shipping containers are closed metal boxes, and there are different sizes of containers, but 40 meters is the largest and most widely used construction container. This container produces mainly cube-shaped houses. These houses can be considered a byproduct of the industrial international transport to a degree, and are environmentally friendly in the sense that they re-use what is otherwise no longer needed.
Location considerations: In a hot climate beach-side location, like the interesting tiny house in Sri Lankan (photo below), a shipping container house can be built with materials on and around the site, including a few domestic containers and deconstructed remains of old wooden boxes from weapons. This container house was built with a single container. The waterfront home is located right on the beach, and you can see how well suited it would be considering the heat of the country and the breeze coming from the open water.
Construction container is trendy, it’s increasing in the world for both emergency shelters and for for modern and contemporary construction.
This house is not a house in France. The orange is a popular color for containers! This modern home has been designed with just shipping boxes. The modular boxes are assembled by connecting two under a single roof. All overlooking a bay window instead of a wall. The industrial style is real, but it is a special home because of its unique design.
Here is a small house project container with solar panels for home energy. The possibilities are endless with containers and multiple projects are possible.
Because this building style is a growing trend, architects around the world are working on these concept homes. Some are covered with wood, so they do not appear to be made with metal once they’re finished.
As some might guess, the container house is also popular where labor is cheaper and where people have less money, such as China. In fact, China ships shipping container homes around the world, competing with American, European and other companies.
Why build a house with containers?
The first is probably price. Even if you can’t afford to build a wooden house from a builder, you may have enough to be able to afford a shipping container design.
Also, if you want to save money by building the house yourself, you might not have the experience for framing with wood.
Container houses are strong.
A container is a very sturdy structure. They are stacked 8 levels on top of each other, filled with a maximum load 26.5T. A container can carry 213T. So stacking for houses is something the shipping container is capable of. However, attention has to be paid how they are stacked.
They’re also suitable for any size of house – small or large – and any type – for example, single dwelling or large apartment complex. They can also be added on to or split up to modify the building design.
It is essential for students to live comfortably but at a lower cost. Along Copenhagen Harbour, shipping containers are transformed into low-cost housing for this particular concern among students. They are stacked on a floating platform in order to come up with functional and modern student residences.
The plan for this shipping container houseboat consists of nine shipping containers that are stacked and arranged on a floating base. From here, 15 studio-type residences are created on two levels. The blocks are made to angle with their ends overlapping to create a shared garden right in the center of the mobile platforms. This structure is also meant to provide protection to the housing from rising sea levels.
The flat roofs of three containers which form the upper floor are transformed into functional areas like a terrace, solar panel hosts and a grassed roof.
The project was designed by Bjarke Ingel’s firm and is called Urban Rigger. The main idea was to provide affordable and budget-friendly accommodation for the students right in the heart of Copenhagen docked in the harbour.
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