22 Modern Shipping Container Homes Around the World (2024)

A shipping container by itself is pretty boring, but even a brand new one is pretty cheap.

With a little bit of imagination (and a lot work), some talended architects succeeded to design dwellings made of shipping containers, ranging from off-the-grid guest homes to full time single family homes.

Shipping Container homes have their pros and cons: they are durable and eco-friendly, most of time cheaper to build than conventional constructions, and pre-fab modules can be easily transported by truck.

But they also have to be very well insulated and sealed as the steel conducts heat a lot and easily rusts if the air condenses against it.

You may think that living in a container home doesn’t sound very appealing.

Here are 22 of the best modern shipping container houses built around the world that may lead you to reconsider.

1. Containers of Hope, a $40,000 Home by Benjamin Garcia Saxe

Benjamin Garcia Saxe completed the Containers of Hope project in 2011 with a budget of $40,000.

Located in San Jose, Costa Rica, this container house made of two 40 foot shipping containers is the result of a close collaboration between the architect and his clients, who went on to construct the building themselves.

2. Shipping Container House by Studio H:T

Colorado-based Studio H:T designed this Shipping Container House in 2010. It is made of two 40 foot Shipping Containers.

The project is planned to be off-the-grid using solar orientation, passive cooling, green roofs, pellet stove heating and photovoltaics to create electricity.

3. The Beach Box by Andrew Anderson

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The Beach Box is a shipping container house located in the dunes of Amagansett, New York, USA.

This 2,000 square foot, four bedroom, two and a half bath home was developed by Andrew Anderson with six-modules from New York-based company SG Blocks.

4. 31 Shipping Container Home by ZieglerBuild

Todd Miller of Zeigler Build recently built this amazing three story container house, using thirty one brand new 40 foot shipping containers!

This spectacular four bedroom, four bathroom, 6,000 square foot home is located 5 miles away from the heart of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

5. Caterpillar House by Sebastián Irarrázaval

Caterpillar House is located in Lo Barnechea, Santiago de Chile, Chile, and was designed by Sebastián Irarrázaval.

The home overlooks a dry landscape, and was designed for an art collector, using twelve 20 foot and 40 foot shipping containers.

6. First Shipping Container House in Mojave Desert by Ecotech Design

Ecotech Design completed the first Shipping Container Home in the Mojave Desert in 2011.

Made with six shipping containers, the 2,300 square foot contemporary house was built for about $200 per square foot, including the foundation.

7. Eco-Friendly Crossbox House by CG Architectes

This project is a prototype of a three-dimensional modular and industrialized house, built with four 40 foot shipping containers.

The aim of this project is to build a low cost architect’s housing with high focus on environmental issues.

8. “Home Contained”, a Cozy Modern Home Made of Five Shipping Containers

Debbie Glassberg is the owner of the Home Contained, a 2,600 square foot modern residence located in Kansas City, Missouri, that was built with five shipping containers.

The final result is quite impressive: the home has comfortable living spaces, a green roof, geothermal heating, plant foam insulation and some passive solar.

9. Six Oaks Residence by Modulus

22 Modern Shipping Container Homes Around the World (9)

Located in the hills of Felton, Santa Cruz, California, USA, this 1,200 square foot shipping container home was designed by Modulus Architecture.

The house was made with three and a half 40 foot partially prefabricated shipping containers.

10. Containerlove by LHVH Architekten

Designed by LHVH Architekten, Containerlove is a private residence made of three 40 foot shipping containers.

Located in Kall, Eifel, Germany, the structure sets it apart from its rural landscape, though its interior is warm and cozy.

11. Container House by Adam Kalkin

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The 12 Container House was designed by architect Adam Kalkin in 2003.

Located in Blue Hill, a small town in Maine, USA, the house was created by stacking twelve recycled 40 foot shipping containers in a T-shape.

12. Old Lady House by Adam Kalkin

22 Modern Shipping Container Homes Around the World (12)

The Old Lady House is another modern shipping container house designed by Adam Kalkin.

The two story home located in Califon, New Jersey, USA, was built using nine 40 foot recycled shipping containers.

13. Maison Container by Patrick Partouche

French architect Patrick Partouche designed the Maison Container in 2010.

Located in the outskirts of Lille, France, this 2,240 square foot, two story house is made of eight 40 foot shipping containers.

14. Croydon Lane Residence by Studio Jantzen

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Architect Christof Jantzen, principal of Studio Jantzen purchased five shipping containers and extended an existing rustic 750-square-foot cabin on a 3.5-acre plot of land in Topanga, California, USA.

With builder Eric Engheben of 44 West Construction, Jantzen managed to complete the addition within four weeks.

15. The Sarah House in Salt Lake City

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Real estate broker Jeff White dreamed of transforming used shipping containers into affordable housing.

After two years of work, he built a 672-square-foot house, using two 40 foot shipping containers.

The house located in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, was put on the market in October 2013 with an initial price tag of $135,000, but didn’t sell at the time of writing.

Designed by studio James & Mau Arquitectura, Casa El Tiamblo is made of four 40 foot shipping containers.

This 2,045 square-foot residence is located in Spain and was completed within six months for a total budget of 140,000 €.

17. WFH House by Arcgency

Designed by Arcgency, this four bedroom contemporary home was made of three 40 foot shipping containers.

Located in China and completed in 2012, it is a prefab design based on principles such as sustainability, flexibility, and playfulness.

18. Upcycle House by Lendager Arkitekter

Danish studio Lendager Arkitekter completed the Upcycle House project in 2013.

It was built from two 40 foot used shipping containers and it is located in Nyborg, Denmark.

19. Shipping Container Guest House by Jim Poteet

Located in Texas, USA, this project is made from a standard 40 foot shipping container, stands in the backyard of renovated warehouse where the client lives.

It was designed by the architect Jim Poteet who had never worked with a container himself until the owner approached him about transforming one into a playhouse and a guest house.

20. Two-Tree House by Golany Architects

Designed by Golany Architects and located in Israel, the Two-Treehouse, which now appears to have grown there, actually began as a recycled shipping container.

It was constructed by applying prefabrication wherever possible, with all the interior finishes, insulation and structure completed off-site.

This weekend retreat by Studio Arte architecture & design is made of a single 40 foot shipping container.

It can also serves as a first home for a young couple, a shed for your guest or a home office/studio.

22. Week End House 2+ by Jure Kotnik Arhitekt

Instead of using recycled shipping containers for this weekend retreat, Jure Kotnik uses containers specially designed for housing.

This small modern container home is located in Trebnie, Solvenia.

Did you change your mind? Would you live in one of those container houses?

If so, let us know which one is your favorite.

Contents

  • 1. Containers of Hope, a $40,000 Home by Benjamin Garcia Saxe
  • 2. Shipping Container House by Studio H:T
  • 3. The Beach Box by Andrew Anderson
  • 4. 31 Shipping Container Home by ZieglerBuild
  • 5. Caterpillar House by Sebastián Irarrázaval
  • 6. First Shipping Container House in Mojave Desert by Ecotech Design
  • 7. Eco-Friendly Crossbox House by CG Architectes
  • 8. “Home Contained”, a Cozy Modern Home Made of Five Shipping Containers
  • 9. Six Oaks Residence by Modulus
  • 10. Containerlove by LHVH Architekten
  • 11. Container House by Adam Kalkin
  • 12. Old Lady House by Adam Kalkin
  • 13. Maison Container by Patrick Partouche
  • 14. Croydon Lane Residence by Studio Jantzen
  • 15. The Sarah House in Salt Lake City
  • 17. WFH House by Arcgency
  • 18. Upcycle House by Lendager Arkitekter
  • 19. Shipping Container Guest House by Jim Poteet
  • 20. Two-Tree House by Golany Architects
  • 22. Week End House 2+ by Jure Kotnik Arhitekt
22 Modern Shipping Container Homes Around the World (2024)

FAQs

What is the best state to build a container home? ›

Texas. One of the states where it is easiest to construct alternative housing, such as tiny homes and shipping container homes, is Texas. Major communities like Austin and Fort Worth can provide permission for the construction of houses utilizing shipping containers.

How much does a container house cost in the US? ›

Shipping container homes cost $25,000 to $80,000 for a single-container model or $80,000 to $250,000+ for a multi-container house. The average cost to build a container home is $150 to $350 per square foot, depending on the size and features. Shipping container prices are $1,200 to $10,000 for the container alone.

How many shipping containers are lost at sea? ›

Reasons for containers getting lost at sea

One marine biologist has estimated that there are approximately 12,000 shipping containers lost in the world's oceans.

Is it cheaper to build a house or a container home? ›

According to HomeGuide, the average cost to build and install a container home is $25,000 to $250,000. While that's no small chunk of change, it's significantly less than you'd expect to pay for a traditional house in most parts of the country.

How long do container homes last? ›

It's remaining stationary so it won't accumulate the same levels of wear and tear as those containers. As long as you take the right precautions, your shipping container home should last for 25 years or more.

How many containers do I need for a 4 bedroom house? ›

If neither of these options seem to suit your needs, we do have other solutions available. For homes with 4 bedrooms or more we recommend renting a second storage unit. An average four-bedroom home should fit in one 20' container and one 10' container.

Is a container house worth it? ›

Shipping container homes are durable but may lack the longevity that traditional houses have. A custom container home can last 25–30 years with proper maintenance, but a standard home generally lasts much longer than that, especially considering homes are passed down generations and still stand the test of time.

How many rooms does a 20-foot container have? ›

How much that can fit inside one of them largely depends on the density and size of your room furnishings, as well as how you pack and store your furnishings. However, a good rule of thumb to determine how many rooms will fit in a 20ft portable storage container is approximately four to six rooms per container.

How many square feet is a 40ft container home? ›

The typical high cube 40 foot shipping container has a floor area of about 300 square feet, and a volume of almost 3000 square feet.

Is there a 45 ft container? ›

45-ft shipping containers are the ideal solution for shipping large volumes of goods across long distances. With a capacity of up to 2,700 cubic feet, 45-ft shipping containers provide ample space for bulky and oversized items that cannot fit in standard 20-ft or 40-ft shipping containers.

How thick are the walls on a shipping container? ›

Shipping container walls are 0.075-inches thick. They feature 14-gauge corrugated steel. The frame, pillars, and rails are 7-gauge tubular steel with 0.187-inch thickness.

Why are there so many abandoned shipping containers? ›

The primary reason there are so many abandoned shipping containers is that it is more expensive to ship them back to China empty than discard them in the US for scrap. They are ultra-cheap to manufacture, but often get sun and saltwater damaged, even in one or just a few “runs”.

How many shipping containers are abandoned? ›

Currently, there are 17 million shipping containers across the globe. Of those 17 million containers, however, only six million are actually being used for transport or any other practical usage. That means approximately 11 million shipping containers are unused and are just sitting stagnant all over the place.

Is it worth it to build a shipping container home? ›

When you compare the cost of building a traditional home, shipping container homes are a fraction of the price. This is because they're made from recycled materials, and can often be built using DIY methods. Another big plus for shipping container homes is that they're eco-friendly.

How long do shipping container homes last? ›

It's remaining stationary so it won't accumulate the same levels of wear and tear as those containers. As long as you take the right precautions, your shipping container home should last for 25 years or more.

Is it cheaper to build a house out of shipping containers? ›

Yes, shipping container homes are cheaper to build than a regular home. While a single container home might cost around $30,000 to build, a house of similar size would cost you around $90,000 to build, more than 3 times more than the shipping container home.

Does Texas allow container homes? ›

Does Texas Allow Shipping Container Homes? Absolutely! Texas allows shipping container homes to be built and in fact, has a lot of them! You can scroll down and find several Texas Container Homes in our Project Database.

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