There is no doubt that shipping containers are tough.
Built tough from weathering corrugated steel, these incredible tough building blocks of international trade are designed to withstand stacking, stuffing and strapping and are reused over and over again. There is an estimate of over 18 million of these containers floating, riding and flying around the earth today, but the most recent sustainable design trend has found these containers revamped to contain a more delicate cargo: People.
Usually, eight feet in height, 8-9 feet wide and either 20 or 40 feet long in legnth, there may not be a whole lot of space and area in the containers but these architects and building designers do not exactly build within the box, so here are my favorite 5 incredible shipping container homes:
The Four Room House
These are stacked vertically on four different floors. These highly talented Belgian architects Pieter Peelings and Silvia Mertens of Sculp(IT) have designed a compact home for living. Every one of the 4 rooms serves a specific function and purpose. Starting from the bottom up, there is a spiral staircase which links a work floor, then a kitchen/dining room floor, the living room floor and on the highest floor, a bedroom and bathroom.
The Port-a-bach
The Port-a-bach is a portable, peaceful retreat like design to have a low-impact use on the surrounding landscape. This incredible unit can either be placed on site by helicopter or delivered by truck and connects easily to local utilities. This very interesting residence unfolds to sleep two adults and two children and, of course, has a bedroom and kitchen with storage.
The Ecopod
This is the Ecopod. A smaller but energy-eco-efficient way for a homeowner to get away from the crazy things in the world. This shipping container home is easily transported and secure plus safe enough to leave in remote areas for longer periods of time. Every single Ecopod derives its power by an 80-watt solar panel, the flooring is made with rubber used from recycled tires and insulated with a soy-based product for the cold.
The Espace Mobile
This incredibly affordable modular container home is designed for customization, Something the designer wanted so that the owner would have some choices if need be. The container homes are made to store and retain heat conserving energy and can be modified to include a balcony and interior configurations.
The Container City
The Urban Space Container City system makes the most use of space utilizing the original design of shipping containers – the stacking process. These container units can be used for homes, apartments, office and work spaces and simply bolted together easily. The Container City designs are already being used all around the world by youth centers and for classrooms, art studios and retail spaces.
So, There you have it! My top 5Â Shipping Container Homes. If you would like to view the photos of the 5 container homes listed here and would like more information on container living, please go to:Â Container Homes
