A Step Up from Cardboard Houses – Shipping Container Homes

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases (more).

I had heard over the last few years that there had become an over-abundunce of shipping containers around the world. So much so, that it was just cheaper for China to make more than to ship them back home. More specifically according to Mother News Network there are over three hundred million shipping containers just sitting in ports empty and unused worldwide. As you might expect, just like a redneck with extra cars laying around the garage/yard/living room, people decided to use them to create something else.

I guess I can see how someone could eventually envision a house while viewing stacked rows of containers, but I have a hard time seeing it. Of course, I’m only here writing about it and not designing them or building them. In case you were wondering, the standard-sized shipping container is 8 feet by 20 feet or 160 sq ft. Not very big, but they are prebuilt boxes and they are far more common than a mostly on the level politician. Throw 20 of them together and you’ve got 3200 sq ft. Not to0 bad…ok so you still have 20 boxes that resemble shipping containers. But the nice thing is that as a rigid structure these shipping containers can be cut and redesigned to create a multitude of different household features. Windows, bathrooms, terraces and kitchens and so on. It really becomes the ultimate Lego house.

Shipping Container Homes
Photo: Mother Nature News - Shipping containers can make for striking architecture

Not only is this form of architecture innovative, but it’s also pretty lean and green. Instead of the shipping containers sitting in a port somewhere rusting away they are being repurposed and creating new homes. In some places like Amsterdam these shipping containers are being used as dorm housing for college students. Cheap and a good use of material that likely disintegrate. One’s man trash is another man’s new house. And just think, hanging pictures will be super simple: all you need is a magnet!

Photo of author

About Leroy

LeRoy was born into a long line of contractors/carpenters/missing links which maybe why he fell naturally into tools and fishing with his paws, errr, bare hands. He has since punctured, stabbed or electrocuted every appendage that can be discussed in mixed company. Given his natural fur vest, he has never been cold. In his parallel life he is a mild mannered environmental scientist where he builds, destroys and builds again. Which let’s face it is much cooler than Superman’s parallel life.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get access to free prizes, product sneak-peeks, reviews, how-to's and much more!

More Info | Email Privacy

6 thoughts on “A Step Up from Cardboard Houses – Shipping Container Homes”

      • I can’t imagine that there isn’t some kind of safety system to prevent barbequing the inhabitants but I cannot for the life of me imagine what that would be. If the units were grounded would it prevent the unthinkable?

        Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.