Who wants to live in or build a container house. Shipping containers seem to be used for building homes everywhere nowadays, but actually I don’t really see a lot of shipping container sellers, which is kind of important for anyone planning to set one of these houses up. It’s the main building material, and that means it requires a little research.
So here’s some options we’ve been looking at in our own research, which we of course try our best to pass on to you guys, knowing how much interest there is out there in alternative home building styles — particularly if the alternative means a savings in cost, right? That’s something I think about when trying to plan out my first house, anyway.
1. Quik Build (Bernardsville, New Jersey)
“The Quik House is a prefabricated kit house designed by Adam Kalkin from recycled shipping containers. It has three bedrooms and two and one-half baths in its 2,000 square foot plan. The shell assembles within one day at your site, you will have a fully enclosed building. From start to finish, it should take no longer than three months to complete your house” (QuikBuild).
2. Office of Mobile Design (Los Angeles, California)
“The firm focuses on “portable, demountable, and relocatable structures,” from homes to schools to stores. It also explores prefabrication, taking advantage of industrial processes to create a more efficient and nimble architecture” (OMD).
3. Numen Development (Houston, Texas)
“We are a design and development firm focused on creating innovative spaces that are structurally, financially, and environmentally efficient! All of our designs utilize re-purposed shipping containers as their primary structure. We work with General Contractors across the country to bring our designs to fruition” (Numen).
4. Truth Box Inc. (Providence, Rhode Island)
“We are a small architecture firm specializing in sustainable, energy-efficient design. We design beautiful homes and buildings that are good for their occupants, good for their neighborhoods, and good for the environment. We believe that high quality design and green building go hand-in-hand and that higher performance does not necessarily mean higher costs. We work on a variety of project types – new single family homes, mill building renovations, new multi-family, and commercial buildings – and we particularly enjoy the challenges of urban infill and re-purposing old buildings” (Truth Box).
5. LOT-EK (New York, New York)
“Our sustainable approach to construction through upcycling has been the basis of structural projects at all scales. We are committed to ecologically responsible and intelligent methods of building. To that end, we leverage the technological properties of existing industrial objects to create architecture. Our goal is to not only upcycle the objects themselves, but to upcycle the intelligence that went into their development. Beyond the inherent sustainability of our design methodology, we are committed to researching and implementing innovative ways to conserve materials and energy” (LOT-EK).
6. Hive Modular (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
“Hive homes are designed to be constructed by modular construction techniques, which provide a high level of quality control, minimize exposure of building materials to the elements, and shortens construction time. Hive has taken the time to learn the modular construction industry so that we can leverage the efficiencies of prefab while providing a high level of design. Our background in high-end residential architecture has taught us to respond to client’s needs for beautiful and efficient home designs with features we know people want. HIVE architects are available to work with you to produce a uniquely personal design utilizing modular or other prefab systems” (Hive).
7. Logical Homes (Los Angeles, California)
“At Logical Homes our vision is bold, yet simple – to provide a home for every person, and family, on the planet. We achieve this goal by the use of:- up cycled and enviro-conscious materials in our home designs- efficient prefabrication and assembly processes- structured project management and client service processesThe end result is innovative architecture that is value-priced and delivered in a predictable timeframe” (Logical Homes).
8. MODULUS (San Jose, California)
“Harmoniously integrating work. play. learn.dream. live through light, space, and experience, for all to peacefully enjoy and remember with pleasure” (MODULUS).
9. SG Blocks (New York, New York)
“We use highly-sustainable, maritime grade shipping containers to build incredible shopping, working, and living environments. We work with architects, developers, builders, and commercial clients to help them build incredibly safe, strong, and green structures using code-engineered shipping containers. We work closely with our partners to source the right box for each project need, then use our unique experience and know-how to build-out each to exact specifications” (SG Blocks).
10. Rhotenberry Wellen Architects (Midland, Texas)
Please see website for further information.
11. Tomecek Studio (Denver, Colorado)
“We operate at the progressive edges of our profession. Uniquely, we stop, look, and listen. Our observations become the basis for our actions. Our actions are encompassed in a collaborative process: client + architect + task + place. Ultimately, we craft places that live in memory based on the sculpting of light, surface, material and space. We provide creative solutions to our client’s specific circumstances. We employ research-driven processes that yield efficient and unique solutions. We believe in the financial responsibility of the architect, client relationship. Quality is the ultimate measure of value” (Tomecek Studio).
12. Travis Price Architects (Washington, D.C.)
“Our work seeks an underlying theme that reflects our clients’ unique spirit of place in the 21st Century. Each design always embodies an authentic modernist space informed by cultural heritage and nature. With our clients we shape a soul for their architecture in pursuit of a “Metaphorical Modernism”. We design architecture that shapes the spirit of our shelters, knowing that for years to come, our shelters will shape our spirits. In our work, we are constantly seeking enduring metaphors as form givers. These ideas are translated into a modern idiom reflecting the distinct ecological geographies of each site with the essential mythical underpinnings of each client” (Travis Price Architects).
13. SunDog Structures (Tampa, Florida)
“At SUNdog, we can build your dream. We design, fabricate and install our shipping container homes and buildings on your site. We work with homeowners, developers and businesses to create buildings designed to achieve your goals. Smart and sustainable, our buildings are designed to perform” (SunDog Structures).
14. HyBrid Architecture (Seattle, Washington)
“Hybrid was originally established as a competition team in 2003. We got our start building and designing efficient homes with shipping containers” (HyBrid Architecture).
15. TAYNR (Sacramento, California)
“Shipping container homes are the hallmarks of architectural innovation. ISBUs (Intermodal Steel Building Units) are reused as structures for any place and for any purpose. Be it a home, office, or a palace, shipping containers are inexpensive and durable buildings for residential, commercial and even industrial use.Storage containers can stand superior in the face of building codes.Since they are originally built for transport, they can be easily moved when they need to be. They can withstand practically any extreme weather, such as hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes” (TAYNR).
16. Giant Containers (Los Angeles, California)
“We offer numerous residential, commercial and industrial solutions to a wide range of clients. Whatever the challenge, we believe an eco-friendly, low cost custom enclosure is the best solution. Our talented team provides a full spectrum of service, beginning with conceptualization, to production, to implementation” (Giant Containers).
Check out the gallery of photos below (all images on our site are expandable, even the featured image at the top).
Find more from other shipping container building companies we’ve indexed in our Home Designers and Builders Directory. You can search the company’s name and look builders near your area. And to see more shipping container buildings,click here.
