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When we started seeing people make homes from recycled shipping containers, we thought they were crazy. However, these stunning masterpieces have today become the norm across the world. In fact, these homes have entered the mainstream housing industry.
While some architects behind the idea want to create visually impressive architecture, others do this to provide housing for low-class citizens of the world. The idea has been so well received that India plans to use shipping containers to produce homes commercially.
Here I discuss the top 27 homes made from shipping containers that I believe are the most outstanding. While some are people’s domestic abodes, others are guest houses.
Find out some woodland cottages where you want to spend your next vacation!
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1. Adam Kalkin Quik House
Do you want your piece of the pie? Talk to architect Adam Kalkin who designs houses from containers in New Jersey. He constructs his houses from prefabricated kits. 75% of your house is actually made from recycled material.
You will have three bedrooms, a living area and two baths all in a 2,000 square feet facility. Select from the natural rust bloom and orange color varieties. For this, prepare to part with at least $184,000.
2. London’s Container City
Back in 2001, the Urban Space Management conceived the idea in Docklands area. In just 5 short months, the company had put up 12 work studios, all in three stories. The architects, led by Nicholas Lacey emphasized on environmental friendliness and low cost of housing.
Here, 80% of the building supplies came from recycled materials. Shortly afterwards, the architects constructed Container City II within an adjacent compound. It boasts of 5 stories with access to the original City made possible with mere walkways.
Review: Read our review of the Build a Container Home Guide
3. Redondo Beach House
This is an award winning home designed by De Maria Designs. Using eight recycled shipping containers and a number of traditional materials, architects constructed a head-turning structure.
It is said that it is almost indestructible, thanks to its resistant to fire, mold and termites. The beach house is sometimes referred to as the blueprint to modern recycled material construction.
4. The Ecopod
The Ecopod is a structure dedicated to off-grid living. It boasts of a floor made of recycled car tires. To slow down heat transfer, the glass has a double pane.
Power inside the Ecopod comes from a solar panel. This emphasizes the dream and aspirations of its architect -being as eco-friendly as possible.
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5. The All Terrain Cabin
This cabin was conceptualized by Bark Design Collective, a Canadian architectural outfit. It is ideal for a family of four and a small pet to live in.
There is an impressive 480 square feet of space. If you are convinced that this is the cabin for you, order it regardless of where in the world you live. It can be delivered anywhere.
6. Illy Push Button House
Architect Adam Kalkin inspired Illycaffe, an Italian coffee roaster outfit to make similar structures. They contracted him to construct a functional fully-furnished café.
It has a bedroom, bathroom, dining room, kitchen and library as well. It can be used as a cabin at night and a café during the day. In just 90 seconds, you can transform it to either facility.
7. LiNX Temporary Structures
Richard Barnwall, a designer based in Dublin wanted to have a functional structure to house his construction workers. He designed the LiNX using four containers that measure 20 feet each.
He created a two-story model and was amazed by its functionality. Shortly afterwards, the design became popular and residential companies sought his counsel.
8. Ross Steven’s House
Ross Steven is an industrial designer based in Wellington, New Zealand. He created arguably the first distinctive container house in his city.
His design skills saw him fit a table made from a repurposed door into the house. To increase living space, he capitalizes on the imposing hill next to his house.
9. The Jakarta Container Lifestyle
The Indonesian capital is one of the most densely populated cities in the region. For this reason, some people in Jakarta are living comfortably in the fire resistant containers.
While these houses do not look too comfortable, the inhabitants do not mind, as they have a roof over their heads, at least.
10. Student Housing Project, Amsterdam
This is easily the world’s largest city of shipping container homes. The complex is home to just over 1,000 students. They are happy because the city’s real estate industry is expensive.
Interestingly, the facilities are quiet and comfortable. Each student unit has a kitchen, living area, sleeping room and bathroom. With large windows, they enjoy natural light.
11. The Skinners Playground
The Sinners Playground is a children recreation space that houses romping grounds. It is entirely built of recycled shipping containers and is situated in Melbourne, Australia.
The idea was conceived by Phooey Architects, one of Australia’s leading architectural outfit. Let your children play here as they appreciate the idea of zero waste!
12. LOT-EK Modular Dwelling Unit
LOT-EK stands for low-tech. This unit was conceptualized by a New York architect and most of its parts are recycled industrial parts.
You will enjoy just as much light on the inside as you would get when residing in an RV. The fact that it is has a modular style means that it is flexible.
13. The LOT-EK Concept Tower
The same architects behind the above structure came up with another one, this time a slanted tower! This is a 19-story building that is achieved by stacking containers above others.
Using strong steel beams and concrete, the shipping containers are supported in place. You will find it on 87 Lafayette Street in Central New York.
14. The Music Box
Is there anything that you cannot create with a shipping container? The answer to this question is no. here is a music box that if fully fitted with instruments and equipment.
This music box is testament to the fact that you can create offices, classrooms, artists’ studios and music recording studios. Just sound proof it tastefully.
15. Urban Space Management
Urban Space Management is a concept that provides low-cost housing to city dwellers. It looks like the Container City discussed above, since the containers can be moved.
It is ideal to cities, towns and estates where efficient, mobile and low-cost houses are in great demand. Use this if you want to live a simple yet tidy life.
16. Port-a-Bach
If you are in need of security and flexibility in a home, discover the allure of the Port-a-Bach structure in New Zealand.
The structure in Atelier Workshop costs just $55,000 to construct from scratch. It can accommodate two adults and two children. You can easily fold it into an enclosed house.
17. M2ATK Container House
Do you want to live or stay in a stunning artistic shipping container house? Then the M2ATK Container House is the place to go. Here, you can cook, work and sleep.
It boasts of comfortable furniture in its bathroom, kitchen, living room and bedroom. There is fully functional heating and cooling system already installed.
18. The Riverside Building in London
Live, work and play comfortably in a semi-permanent structure overlooking the Thames River. This place has 22 offices constructed in a modular design.
It is situated near the Container City. It took contractors 73 containers to assemble the entire structure. Interestingly, they only took eight days to construct!
19. The Berlin Container Home
The art group called Platoon is based in Berlin, Germany. They contracted the services of a leading architect to make a temporary art studio.
They got more than they bargained for when they first set foot in this amazing condo-style container home. You can have yours at a pocket-friendly price too.
20. The Havana Container Home
Just like many of the leading cities in the world, Havana experiences acute shortage of housing for its millions of residents. Wise architects came up with interesting designs.
Using prefabricated shipping containers, the designers arranged a number of the metal boxes above one another. This solved the problem albeit in a small way.
21. Fawood Children Center
Fawood Children Centre is a stunning beauty created by Urban Space Management in 2004. It boasts of three blocks most of which are made from recycled shipping containers.
There is an adult education centre, office space, nursery and classrooms. External walkways connect the container structures. A meshed shell then houses all these structures.
22. Container Living in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is easily one of the largest cities in Europe. Its expanse comes with a large number of dwellers, who understandably cannot fit in the city’s depleted real estate industry.
To help solve this problem, a group of real estate companies created semi-permanent houses using recycled shipping containers and other materials.
23. The Utrecht Student Housing
Utrecht Student Housing Project is a trend-setting project that features modified containers. It is found at Netherland’s largest university, Utrecht University.
The fact that innumerable students study there cannot be overemphasized. Due to the biting housing crunch, the university put up these hostels and reduced the problem.
24. The 2+ Weekend House
The fact that you can achieve great detail with little effort is epitomized in this design. Can you imagine that architect Jure Kotnik created this from shipping containers?
The upper container provides shade to the entrance of the lower container. There is even space for a small terrace!
25. The Site-Specific Exhibition
At the Baan Lae Suan Fair in Thailand’s capital city Bangkok, Buatalah Studio and Site-specific created and showcased a cabin for three people.
They chose four recycled shipping containers to design what many people termed as living in a tasteful box. You can even grow vegetables on the tiny spaces around the cabin.
26. The Container Living in Angola
Angola is one of the numerous third-world countries on the African continent. With low incomes and saddening poverty, residents found low cost housing in recycled shipping containers.
While these can be arranged in a better way, they have proven to be a housing solution for some residents in the country’s capital.
27. Cue Container Skyscraper
Although this idea has not yet been realized, it can become a solution to Mumbai’s impoverished slums. There are currently tens of thousands of people living in shacks.
This is a skyscraper complex that will change the lives of thousands of city dwellers when completed. Just check out the design!
Time to Build Your Own Shipping Container Home
Whether you need a structure for dwelling, relaxation, entertainment or an art booth, your opportunities are limitless. There is space, comfort, lifestyle and creativity. From these examples, there is seemingly no limit to what you can achieve with shipping container homes.
The above are just 27 examples of what you can achieve with a used shipping container. While architects flex their artistic muscles, you could be living the sustainable life by living in a shipping container home.