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!
Alison LaPaglia
For more of The Container’s work, find them in our shipping container homes directory.
