Check out these inventive recycled shipping container designs.
Container Guest House, San Antonio, TX
Though it would make for an ideal tiny home, this Container Guest House in a San Antonio, Texas backyard functions as the perfect accomodation for visitors. As is the norm with container homes, environmentally friendly practices were top-of-mind, explaining why Poteet Architects kept its original blue color, along with the exterior text. There are plenty of other green features as well. The addition of a floor-to-ceiling window adds natural light, while sliding doors provide plenty of fresh air. The roof garden is watered by grey water (runoff water from the sink and shower). The bathroom contains a composting toilet, and recycled soda bottles are part of the deck’s building materials. If that’s not enough, the exterior light fixtures are local tractor blades, and the foundation consists of — you’d never guess — recycled telephone poles.
Bunny Lane, Bernardsville, NJ
Architect Adam Kalkin, co-founder of Industrial Zombie, has made a name for himself by taking shipping container design to the next level. Bunny Lane in rural New Jersey is a real mind blower, as it looks as though a shipping container swallowed a traditional house. The latter is a replica of a 19th-century cottage, complete with a porch, and could easily exist as a stand-alone structure. Unlike, say, a museum exhibit, both spaces are furnished and easily flow into each other. In another trippy twist, there’s even a three-story wall of nine cube-shaped rooms (glassed in), creating a real-life dollhouse effect.
PV14 House, Dallas, TX
Even shipping container homes are bigger in Texas. Called PV14 House, since it uses 14 shipping containers, this Dallas home from M Gooden Design is one of the largest at 3,700 square feet. This home contains three bedrooms, a den, entertainment area, three-and-a-half bathrooms and a two-car garage. There’s also a small penthouse and a large roof deck. A glass-fronted second floor, complete with a full-length balcony, maximizes prime views of a lake and park across the way.
McConkey Residence, San Diego, CA
For many, a mega-mansion represents the ideal dream home, but for Mike and Shawn McConkey, a shipping container was their ideal. The McConkey Residence, designed by OBR Architecture, is one of San Diego’s first shipping container homes. Three containers form 800 square feet of living space, and floor-to-ceiling windows make the open-air design feel even larger. A retractable garage door next to the kitchen is another thoughtful element (and perfect for those times when the stove gets a bit too smoky). Speaking of smoke, the windows and roof incorporate flame-retardant materials in the event of wildfires.
12 Container House, Blue Hill, Maine
Another Kalkin home, 12 Container House is arguably his most famous design. As you might have surmised, yes, this private residence consists of 12 shipping containers. Its design pushes the realm of container possibilities, converting claustrophobic, boxy structures into a dramatic steel and glass abode. Two opposing staircases are a defining feature of the interior, and can be viewed from either side of the house. Individual shipping containers used to define spaces, such as the kitchen and living room, are another differentiator, and provide a meta feel to the entire concept.