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Remember when you were a little kid and the best part about a big present was the box? Perhaps piggy-backing on that idea is today's concept of shipping container architecture. Buildings of all kinds -- homes, offices, cafes, schools -- are being constructed out of recycled shipping containers. According to David Cross, co-founder of SG blocks, a company specializing in container construction, the energy used to construct a container home is about 95 percent less than the energy used to melt (discard) the container. Yet they're not just for the environmentally conscious! Container homes are typically cheaper and faster to build than traditionally constructed homes. And because they're made from steel, they're also extremely durable.
Scroll through the photo gallery to see some very unique building ideas! Your vacation home may be closer than you think....
To read more at The Daily Green!
Container Architecture
All Terrain Cabin
Canada's Bark Design Collective built the All Terrain Cabin (ATC) as a showcase for sustainable (and Canadian!) ingenuity. The small home is based on a standard shipping container and is said to be suitable for a family of four, plus a pet, to live off the grid in comfort and style.
The cabin folds up to look like any old shipping container and can be sent via rail, truck, ship, airplane or even helicopter. When you're ready to rest your bones, the cabin quickly unfolds to 480 square feet of living space with a range of creature comforts.
Container City II
London's low cost, environmentally-friendly Container City I was a success, and in 2002, Urban Space Management added an addition, dubbed Container City II. Reaching five stories high, Container City II is connected to its earlier iteration via walkways. It also boasts an elevator and full disabled access, as well as 22 studios.
Cove Park Artists' Retreat
Set on 50 acres of gorgeous Scottish countryside, Cove Park is an artist's retreat designed to stimulate and reinvigorate. Urban Space Management first brought in three repurposed shipping containers in 2001, and the center became so popular that more units have been added.
Inside Cove Park
Doesn't look like your average shipping box, does it?
The Riverside Building, London
Offering fantastic views of the Thames for an affordable price, The Riverside Building hosts 22 offices in a modular design. Erected near Container City, the structure took a mere eight days (and 73 containers!).
illy Push Button House
Italian coffee roasters illycafe were inspired by Adam Kalkin's designs, and commissioned him to build the Push Button House. In just 90 seconds, a compact metal container opens into a fully furnished cafe, with functional kitchen, dining room, bathroom, bedroom, living room and even library. Andrea Illy, chairman and CEO of illycaffe, has said the company was interested in Kalkin's ideas of "home as one continuous mouldable surface, a relief against which human activity would pop out."
Jakarta Container Living
It's important to remember that resourceful people have been living in repurposed shipping containers for decades, particularly around ports and along the margins in developing countries. The big metal boxes are dry, fire resistant and quite readily available.
Here, some men make their homes in containers in Jakarta. A community of people have lived in shipping containers for 20 years in Armenia, since the temporary housing set up for them after the devastating 1988 earthquake has never been replaced.
LOT-EK Concept Tower
Constructed by LOT-EK is this fantastic concept for a tower at 87 Lafayette Street in New York City. The idea is for a 19-story artists' loft building, built by stacking containers, with staircases at the north and south ends. The roof of the slanted tower would sport solar panels.
The building in front of the bold new design is an historic New York City firehouse, perhaps serving as a visual tie to the past.
M2ATK Container House
M2ATK designed this hip Container House for an artist. It's fully equipped with heating and cooling, a kitchen, bathroom, communications access and comfortable furniture.
De Maria Design Redondo Beach House
With its modern lines and appealing spaces, the award-winning Redondo Beach House by De Maria Design turns heads. The luxury beachside showpiece was built from eight prefabricated, recycled steel shipping containers, along with some traditional building materials. According to the architects, the modified containers are "nearly indestructible," as well as resistant to mold, fire, and termites. Seventy percent of the building was efficiently assembled in a shop, saving time, money and resources.
One of the containers can even sport a pool! The lessons learned from Redondo Beach House are being incorporated into a line of more affordable, accessible designs, soon available as Logical Homest.
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Reader comments (Page 1 of 3)
pretty cool
ReplyI'm sorry. While this may sound like a great and expensive idea and seems to be touted as such, did anyone look at the cost of some of these designs? It's ludicrous. Are they lined with gold or titanium? No. Most prices don't even include the 'skins' that cover the units, the cost of making sure your site is flat (ie: read more money). If we could just take containers and make homes from them without all the hoopla these designers have put into them, it might be something worth looking into. Otherwise, this article is a waste of time, the concept is outrageously priced so the 'average' person isn't going to benefit by going this route. Think of a glorified mobile home stacked on tope of each other with all the bells and whistles you could think of. Not much difference as far as I can see.
ReplyTABBY, You're an idiot.. Ignorant really. These designs are made by proffesionals for the safety of the people who are buying them. FYI you ignorant mediocre being. The people if to buy the container only. Have no experience in making them into safe homes. Thus that would cause a stir and possible suing over the container company. So hence they have a team of people to make sure these homes are stylish and safe for the consumer.
i agree totally, way too much for the average working person. i actually researched these a couple of years ago & also the straw bale homes. back then u couldnt even get a permit or find a lender for these types of "alternative" construction. most of these are designed,constructed & owned by architects or people in the building industry who can afford this type of thing.
I agree with you 100%
That remark should have read 'seems like an inexpensive idea'....my apologies.
ReplyReminds me of the homes called cracker boxes. I think these homes get condemed and bulldozed in the US.
ReplyALL I CAN SAY IS THESE ARE UGLY, AND I AM SURE EXPENISVE TO BUILD SO WHY DO IT? AND A FAMILY OF FOUR CAN LIVE IN THAT THEY SAY? WHY NOT JUST BUY A NICE RV OR BUS FOR THAT MATTER!!!? AT LEAST YOU COULD MOVE YOUR HOME UNLIKE THESE UGLY THINGS. IT IS OBVIOUS THEY ARE CONTAINERS.......WHAT A STUPID IDEA TO ME THEY ARE.
ReplyThe purpose of using shipping containers rather than buying an RV or bus is b/c it's supposed to be an eco-friendly method. There are ship yards with hundreds of thousands of these shipping containers just sitting there, not being used. So why not down-cycle something that isn't being used rather than creating yet another living space that is going to create more environmental waste, ie. carbon dioxide, fuel for the vehicle, etc. The thing about using the containers is that you can combine them together to make them wider and stack them to make them higher. This is actually a very ingenious idea.
Some of the plans I have seen for homes actually incorporate two to four of these to make a home. They use materials to insulate, put in windows, plumbing, etc. then 'skins' which is what makes them impervious to the elements. The statement made about being fireproof and termite proof isn't exactly true and what they didn't say is that they are not rust proof, or at least until they treat them and cover them with whatever material they are going to use. I have looked at the floor plans, materials used, and costs. For the average person, this is not a viable option. As for the person attacking me about the safety, well, they apparently didn't read my comment. There are restrictions on what can be done with just a plain empty cargo container, and I'm aware they must be secured, etc. but still the price listings of over 150,000 for a two bedroom (assuming your lot is level & permitting allows) is till a bit much to be considered a 'practical use' for these containers. Look at some of the links with the photographs, click on the information offered regarding the company, info, etc. and you'll see how expensive these are. Some nice floor plans but I think the cost is exorbitant for a 'used metal' container. You could use a brand new and it would cost even more. This isn't a practical reuse of containers. If we could just put them somewhere with the basics (as what they have done in other countries, well, they might make a nice 'rustic' cabin/home for some, but that won't happen here. So, for my money, I'd just as soon build a geodesic dome. Very efficient, can withstand winds, snow, ice, etc. Buckmeister Fuller had a great concept! And for the money? I can get far more room in a geodesic home than in four of these containers. The homes shown are mostly designed as show pieces, owned by architects etc. so it isn't really a practical or economical idea/concept for the average person.
It really is ugly and so tiny my husband and i and our children live in a 5500 square foot home and thats a good size for us, i like to have walk in closets and big rooms to be able to put things away i dont like clutter.I could never live in something like that.Even my summer home is alot bigger than that.
ReplyDo you have any idea how arrogant you sound?
how many kids do you have to need 5500 sq ft?
Unless you have 5+ children there is no reason, other than greed and show boating, to live in a 5500sq ft home. What is the purpose in having a house that is so big the family never comes in contact with one another? I live in a moderate rancher that allows me to (get this) be with my children! Try it some time you might like it, snob.
These would be great for the homeless and the Katrina victims.. rather than live on the streets or in those pre-fab trailers.. that dont hold up well to the elements..
ReplyI CERTAINLY DO AGREE WITH DANA. . . . . . . . . .
I JUST SAW TONIGHT ON OUR NETWORK NEWS THAT THEY ARE THINKING OF APPROACHING THE GOVERNMENT TO USE SOME 'RETIRED' BATTLESHIP AND RENOVATING IT FOR THE HOMELESS IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA DUE TO SOOOOO MANY HOMELESS THERE.
WHY NOT TRY THESE CONTAINERS?? IT JUST MIGHT BE A LITTLE LESS COSTLY THAN GOING TO THE GOVERNMENT TO RENOVATE A BATTLESHIP. BESIDES THEY ALSO SAID THAT THERE IS A FEDERAL LAW ABOUT JUST WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RENOVATE A 'RETIRED' SHIP. DOESN'T THAT MEAN GOING THROUGH CONGRESS FOR PERMISSION?? AND, YOU KNOW HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE, DON'T YOU?
i agree that its most likely to exspensive as single family homes but imagine the other possibilities they can build jails low income housing warehouses storage facilities theres definitly many uses for these containers
ReplyBIG DEAL, IN NY CITY HOMELESS PEOPLE MAKE HOUSES OUT OF CARBOARD BOXES EVERY DAY.
ReplyWith Obama , we will all be living in cardboard boxes!
Replyyou said that right