Shipping Container Houses

Kalkin House, built in 2001 and formerly known as the Collector's House, is an inventive work of contemporary architecture by Adam Kalkin. Three trans-oceanic shipping containers define the interior spaces of the two-story prefabricated structure. A 20' x 80' metal building of a type normally used for warehouses is the outer shell of the house.


Distinguished interior designer Albert Hadley collaborated on the building's original design. Features include oversized glass garage doors, metal grid balconies, and a two-story outdoor curtain that creates a patio space.


Kalkin House is a gallery for special exhibitions of contemporary design. In 2009, New York textiles designer Richard Saja channels his cheeky sense of humor and sophisticated style into transforming the interior of Kalkin House into a 19th century salon infused with his characteristic "historically inaccurate" take on tradition.

Visit the Shelburne Museum

Strength and durability
Shipping containers are in many ways an ideal building material. They are designed to carry heavy loads and support heavy loads when they are stacked in high columns. They are also designed to resist harsh environments - they are transported globally on ocean going vessels or can be covered in road salt when transported on roads.

Modular
All shipping containers are made to the same standard measurements and as such they provide modular elements that can be combined into larger structures. This simplifies design, planning and transport. As they are already designed to interlock for ease of mobility during transportation, structural construction is completed by simply emplacing them. Due to the containers' modular design additional construction is as easy as stacking more containers. They can be stacked up to 12 high when empty.

Transport
Pre-fabricated modules can also be easily transported by ship, truck or rail, because they already conform to standard shipping sizes.

Availability
Used shipping containers are available across the globe. In cases where a company or country receives more containers than it can use to ship in the return directions these containers have no real use, since it is not cost effective to return empty containers to their origin.

Cost
Many used containers are available at a cost that is low compared to a finished structure built by other labor-intensive means such as bricks and mortar - which also require larger more expensive foundations. Construction involves very little labor and used shipping containers requiring only simple modification can be purchased from major transportation companies for as little as $1,200 USD each. Even when purchased brand new they seldom cost more than $6000 USD.

Expandable
The shape and standard measurements of shipping containers make houses that are easily expandable. You can start small and add more containers as needed.

Hurricane-Proof
Either single units or multiple units connected, can withstand
100 MPH winds on a foundation, or 175 MPH winds when easily anchored with pylons. ...extremely solid in Tornados or Hurricanes.

Earthquake-Proof
Even in a direct hit, he structure my possibly roll around a little but certainly not
collapse. It would be the most perfect safety cocoon in an Earthquake. It would be at least 100 times safer and stronger than a conventional housing structure.

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That's okay!
Container houses don't have to look like containers!
The outside can be finished with all sorts of materials, so you can't even tell it's made out of shipping containers.



This house has been finished with aluminium siding.

The original Container City project, located at Trinity Buoy Wharf, is in the heart of London's Docklands.
Completed in 5 months in 2001, Container City I was originally 3 stories high providing 12 work studios across 4,800 sq ft.
After high demand a fourth floor was added providing three additional live / work apartments.
As well as being very cost effective Container City I is environmentally friendly with over 80% of the building created from recycled material.

As the second phase of the original Container City project at Trinity Buoy Wharf, Container City II is both an extension and evolution of the first building.
Built adjacent to Container City I, with inter-connecting bridges, a new lift and full disabled access, Container City II was completed in 2002 providing a further 22 studios over five floors.
In contrast to the first phase, Container City II is a funky ziggurat shape and painted in bright colours to reflect the creative flair of those who work here.

Visit Container City

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Rain water harvesting

Wind turbines

Solar panels

Green Roofs

Plant nurseries

Reclaimed Wood

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