Believe it or not there is a group of architects that have developed some very stylish residences out of the humble shipping container.
Not only residences, there have also been hundreds of metal shipping
containers used for museums, restaurants and weekend houses. You would
not even realize that these beautiful and creative structures were once
hauling supplies across the country.
The shipping containers are stacked, painted and customized to form the
outer structure of the houses. Glass ceilings, walls and windows add
light and give the structures a very bright and airy look.
The Shelburne Museum, located in Vermont, features a Collectors House
designed by interior designer Albert Hadley and architect Adam Kalkin.
It was created by using 3 overseas shipping crates that make a very
striking house. The building features glass garage doors, a large patio
area, living space, bedrooms and a full sized kitchen.
Adam Kalkin has designed houses out of shipping containers before, but
his last one is actually a luxury dwelling for the rich. He unveiled
his creation at the Art Basel Miami Beach art show in December 2005 and
the attendants were surprised to see lavish furnishings and a
beautifully designed interior inside a shipping container. The project
has the interesting title of "Push-Button House" because it can be loaded in the back of a truck to be moved and it opens up like a Murphy bed to expose the interior.
Jennifer Seigal is another architect that uses shipping containers to create beautiful living spaces. One example is the Seatrain house
she built for real estate developer Richard Carlson, equipped with all
utilities and featuring an indoor fountain. She indicates that these
houses are much less costly to build than the traditional ones, and
that they are very modern looking and can be customized to the
individual needs of the buyer.
While the use of shipping containers for shelter is not new, the
thought of making architectural statements and unique creations is.
Architects strive to create a feeling of openness, light and beauty
using the prefab shipping containers as the foundation.
Although his Push-Button house is only an experimental project, Mr.
Kalkin has built houses that he intends to make available to the
public, like his Quik House. He currently has orders for ten. These modern prefab houses
are made from five shipping containers and are then loaded on a truck
and delivered to the buyer. It takes less than a week to reassemble
them on location. The Quik House sells for between 150 to 175 thousand
dollars, depending on the distance to deliver the house and the options
that the client chooses. There are many different options, including
mahogany sliding doors and a full stainless steel kitchen.
In addition to this deluxe version of a prefab home Mr. Kalkin is also planning on selling a single shipping container living space called an A-Pod. This will be equivalent to a studio apartment, and will sell for under $100,000.00.
Humanitarian issues
Most architects have noted that the prefab shipping container habitat
is ideal for setting up in emergency situations and for humanitarian
needs. These very structurally sound and durable homes can be moved
easily on the back of trucks and can be loaded and unloaded numerous
times with no damage or need for repairs. They can be moved virtually
anywhere there is a road and it is easy to hook up plumbing and
electrical connections to the outside of the shipping container.
They are very dry, leak resistant and easy to care for. They can be
insulated to keep out the cold and, despite being metal, are reported
to be easy to cool even in hot climates. The shipping container homes
are virtually fire resistant and can be easily cleaned or painted if
necessary.
While a shipping container home may not have been an option you had
previously considered, it might be something to ponder in the future.
The sky is the limit to using your imagination in designing your very
own low cost prefab home.
Cornelia Myers believes that shipping containers can make viable and comfortable houses. Visit http://www.Shipping-Container-Housing.com
to find out how to build a house from shipping containers and how much
it costs and to learn more about the companies that provide design
services for shipping container housing.
» left by deon marais from east londen s.a. (258 days 7 hours ago.)
living in a city in south africa myself , i am amazed at your site. accomodation for students are either hellholes or non-existant. not yo mention exspensive.i am currently investigating my options. Respond to this comment
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Thursday, January 26, 2006 View other articles written by Cornelia Myers(821)
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