Shipping Container Humanitarian Housing at New Jerusalem Orphanage, Midrand, South Africa

About New Jerusalem Orphanage
About 4D and A Architects

Project	New Jerusalem Orphanage
Architects	4D and A Architects
Containers	28
Location	Midrand, South Africa
Year	2011

Two sisters established the orphanage in 2000 in order to care for children in the Midrand who have been either abandoned or orphaned because of poverty, HIV or other social problems. Due to expansion, New Jerusalem orphanage commissioned 4D and A to build new houses for the children, whose ages range from infancy to 16. Recycled shipping containers were chosen as the main building material because they are 25 percent cheaper than conventional brick and mortar homes.

Each unit contains enough space for twelve children and a house mother, and two houses share a communal kitchen, dining and lounge area. These are all vibrant, inspiring spaces that not only make the orphans feel loved and special, but also help to stimulate their stunted development.

CPH Shelter - Affordable Shipping Container Compact Units for Students Have Livingroom, Place to Sleep, Bathroom and Kitchenette, Copenhagen, Denmark

Construction
Floor Plans
Renderings
About Vandkunsten Architects

Project	CPH Shelter
Architects	Vandkunsten Architects
Project group	Salma Zavari, Søren Nielsen, Katrine West Kristensen
Contractor	Logik & Co
Location	Copenhagen, Denmark
Year	2015-2018

Thanks largely to its status as a hotbed of contemporary design innovation, the city of Copenhagen has become one of the most desirable places in the world to live. Yet, as has been seen in places like Manhattan, increased desirability can come at a cost to local residents. Due to rapid growth and a successful university system, Copenhagen has fallen upon a shortage of both student housing and land available for traditional development. The only open, affordable land in the city is located within ports – but it is currently zoned to be protected from any permanent construction projects.

Enter Danish company CPH Containers and architect Søren Nielsen, a partner at Danish firm Vandkunsten Architects. By creating a structure of shipping containers, the team has created a student village that acts a temporary complex, able to vacate the land upon short notice with its close proximity to existing transportation infrastructure.

C2 Shelter at OOST Kampville - Shipping Container Home Built for Tropical Climate, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand

Construction
Floor Plans
Location
About Teera Dhanamun

Project	C2 Shelter at OOST Kampville
Architects	Tung Jai Ork Baab
Lead Architect	Teera Dhanamun
Containers	3
Bedrooms	2
Year	2024
Location	Nakhon Nayok, Thailand

After Container Cabin that was built in 2022 fully transform into vacation rental, the family need to expand the weekend house in OOST Kampville project. In the site we found a small peaceful plot nestled in the Dipterocarpus alatus (resin tree) forest. With the same limitation as the previous development of Container Cabin the pre-fabrication construction method was the initial idea to develop the project because of the limitation resource of local contractor and skillful construction workers. The shipping container was then introduced to be the main indoor space of the house again but with different purposes and smaller size.

Cargo - Tiny Home Made of 20 ft Shipping Container, Algarve, Portugal

Frequently Asked Questions about Tiny Homes from Madeiguincho
About Madeiguincho

Project	Cargo
Architect and Builder	Madeiguincho
Containers	One 20 ft
Location	Lagos, Algarve, Portugal
Year	2024

In the contemporary architectural landscape, the trend tiny homeards minimalism has gained significant relevance. This approach, which advocates simplicity and the elimination of the superfluous, finds in the tiny homes or the smallest possible size habitable structures a fertile ground for its most authentic expression. These homes, with their reduced dimensions, challenge architectural conventions by demonstrating that the greatness of space does not necessarily translate into comfort or functionality.

Royal Wolf Shipping Container Melbourne HQ, Administrative and Site Office with Planted Internal Courtyards, Sunshine, Victoria, Australia

Construction
Floor Plans
Location
About Room 11 Architects

Architect	Room 11 Architects
Containers	16
Location	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Year	2013

Royal Wolf is a specialist in the hire, sale & modification of new & refurbished shipping containers. Utilising the steel fabrication skill sets of this company, Room11 take the claustrophobic volume within a regular shipping container and transform it into a spacious light filled work environment with planted internal courtyards.

Shipping Container Home with Woven Bamboo Roof Includes Personal Gym, India

Floor Plans
About Rakhee Shobhit Design Associates

Architect	Rakhee Shobhit Design Associates
Containers	First unit 5x 20ft; Second unit 2x 40ft + Gym 20ft
Location	Aravali Hills, India

Indian practice Rakhee Shobhit Design Associates (RSDA) responded by repurposing old shipping containers to quickly create a series of bright living spaces that would provide an "escape from reality" with minimal impact on the landscape.

"The Container House does not conform to conventional residential design ideas," said the practice.

"Instead, it employs industrial materials as the exoskeleton to create a homely, cosy setting with a spatial dialogue between the interiors and the surroundings."

Low-Cost Shipping Container Housing for Students or Single Individuals, Santiago, Chile

Construction Process
Floor Plans / Drawings
About Hsu-Rudolphy Arquitectos

Architect	Hsu-Rudolphy Arquitectos
Containers	70x 20ft
Area	1400 m²
Location	Santiago, Chile
Year	2022

Description by the architects

1,400 m2 of collective low-cost housing for students or single individuals, four stories in height, built based on a prefabricated system of recycled containers and a steel structure, designed in order that it can be built in low and medium-density areas in the city, adding or decreasing modules according to the available land. This modular concept can be adapted or can be built in different stages depending on different conditions such as commercial demand or economic budget. One of the relevant advantages is the speed of construction due to his prefabricated main structure that can be mounted on the site in a matter of weeks.

Shipping Container Home on Narrow Lot - Conventionally-Built Main Level and Two 53’ Shipping Containers on Upper Level, Boulder, Colorado

Construction Process
Drawings
Location
About M. Gerwing Architects
About Gebau - Structural Engineer

Architect	Mark Gerwing, M. Gerwing Architects
Contractor	Owner
Structural Engineer	Gebau, Boulder
Interior Cabinetry	Laak Woodworks
Containers	Two 53 ft
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	4
Area	4000 sqft
Price	$3,250,000 (2020)
Location	Boulder, Colorado
Year	2020

This shipping container home on narrow lot in Boulder, Colorado, is one-of-a-kind inside and out—just like its former owners. Comprised of two shipping containers, reclaimed materials, and other handcrafted details, the rectilinear structure occupies a narrow lot at the base of Flagstaff Mountain. The homeowners and designers, Mark Gelband and Courtney Loveman, spent years battling zoning ordinances to build the home in a way that reflected their blended families and world view.

Karoo Uitkyk - Off-Grid Shipping Container Home with Cantilevered Deck and Beautiful Views, South Africa

Floor Plans
About Anthrop Abbott Architects

Project	Karoo Uitkyk
Architect	Anthrop Abbott Architects
Containers	Four 20 ft
Bedrooms	2
Project Cost	$306,712
Location	Karoo, South Africa
Year	2024

The Karoo is a vast semi-desert region stretching across South Africa, defined by its rolling mountains, expansive plains, and dramatic climatic conditions. On a remote rocky outcrop in this breathtaking landscape sits a striking weekend getaway crafted from four shipping containers. Designed by Antrhop Abbott Architects, the off-grid weekender, which is only accessible via a 4x4 vehicle, features designer furniture, bespoke detailing, and a deck that cantilevers out from the clifftop—an ambitious exercise that cost over $300K.

	Cost	% of Total Cost
Structural Work (inc. framing, envelope, siding & insulation)	$31,584	10.3%
Wall Finishes	$26,880	8.8%
Flooring	$3,640	1.2%
Roofing	$840	0.3%
Hardware	$10,080	3.3%
Electrical	$36,400	12.9%
Plumbing	$14,000	4.6%
Kitchen & Bath Fixtures	$2,800	0.9%
Lighting	$1,960	0.6%
Appliances	$3,248	1.0%
Glazing	$39,760	13.0%
Metalwork	$1,960	0.6%
Furnishings & Decor	$37,800	12.3%
General Contractor Fee	$37,520	12.2%
Architect Fee	$39,760	13.0%
Fold-Out Decks	$9,520	3.1%
Fold-Out Pergolas	$8,960	2.9%
Total	$306,712	100%

20 ft Off-Grid Shipping Container Home on Wheels, Hawaii

Video
About Alternative Living Spaces

Project	The Green Box
Builder	Alternative Living Spaces
Containers	One 20 ft
Location	The Big Island, Hawaii
Year	2024

Some of those who choose to downsize and move into a tiny house do so out of conviction, because they want to adopt minimalism and turn to more sustainable living practices to minimize their environmental footprint. Others are simply trying to survive and make ends meet in an era of lack of affordable housing solutions.

Brandie is one of those people who chose to live alternatively out of necessity. Her family has been living on the beautiful island of Hawaii for generations, and she wanted to be able to come back to her roots and live on the island whenever she felt like it. Unfortunately, with the exorbitant prices on the Hawaiian housing market, after selling her family's home in Hilo, she couldn't afford to build a new house or buy a pre-existing one.

However, she couldn't let herself be "priced out of paradise," so she decided to take a different approach to fulfilling her dream of homeownership on the Big Island. He bought a shipping container and turned it into a beautiful off-grid tiny home that offers her an affordable living option in Hawaii. It’s not her permanent residence, but it is equipped with all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay.

4 Bedrooms 4 Containers Shipping Container Home + Roof Terrace, Houston, Texas

Location

Containers	Four 40 ft
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	4
Area	1,280 sqft
Price	$414,600 (2024)
Location	Houston, Texas
Year	2019

This is a one-of-a-kind shipping container home. In addition to luxury modern exterior & interior finishes, this home boasts over 1,000 sf of deck and terrace living! Offers stunning panoramic views (including downtown) from the 3rd story roof terrace. Total inside living area is 1280 sf in downstairs and upstairs units. In addition there are 640 sf roof terrace and 500 sf of spacious decking complete with chairs/seating and outdoor ceiling fan/lighting.

Heating	Heat pump, Electric
Cooling	Central

Cantilevered Shipping Container Home on Old Foundation, Northern Ireland

Construction
Floor Plans
Location and Contact Info
About Patrick Bradley Architects

Project	Barneys Ruins
Architect	Patrick Bradley Architects
Containers	One 40 ft
Location	Northern Ireland
Year	2022

Local studio Patrick Bradley Architects has added a cantilevered shipping container to ruined walls on an old farm in Northern Ireland to create a contemporary house with an annexe.

Named Barneys Ruins, the project brings a traditional small-holding settlement in Mid Ulster, known as a clachan, to modern-day standards while preserving the 200-year-old ruins of its old cottage.

20 ft and 40 ft Shipping Container Homes for Sale from £20,000 in England

Specification
Construction Process
About Ucubelife - Builder

Builder	Ucubelife
Containers	20 ft or 40 ft
Location	Burnham on Crouch, England, United Kingdom

• Decked sun terrace entrance
• Double glazed
• Lounge
• Kitchen
• Double bedroom
• Bathroom
• Electric ceiling panel heaters
• Plug and play ready to go

Brock Development Group Shipping Container Head Office, Ontario, Canada

Location
About Brock Development Group
About Sofia Kadar and CG-Wurx

Architect	Sofia Kadar, CG-Wurx
Area	1,800 sq.ft.
Containers	Five 40 ft
Location	Ontario, Canada

Presenting a uniquely designed office building with a distinctive shipping container aesthetic. This property remained vacant for over 25 years with little options for development due to its limited size and commercial zoning. With the combination of a cost effective servicing solution, an unconventional building and parking layout and simple planning approvals, the site transformed into a viable commercial development opportunity. This modern shipping container structure spans 1,800 sq.ft, over three floors and features an open-concept design that seamlessly blends contemporary style with industrial flair. With sleek lines and innovative architecture, this shipping container building not only provides a unique visual appeal but also offers a versatile and functional workspace, ideal for fostering a collaborative and dynamic office environment.

Two Bedrooms Affordable Shipping Container Homes with Energy-Efficient Appliances, Evansville, Indiana

Video
Location
About Community Action Program of Evansville (CAPE)

Initiative	Community Action Program of Evansville (CAPE) and Department of Metropolitan Development
Bedrooms	2
Area	640 square foot
Containers	Two 40 ft
Location	Evansville, Indiana
Year	2024

The 640-square-foot shipping container homes − one at 1108 Cody St. and another at 1107 Cody St. − are fully furnished, with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a porch and small yard. The project, a joint effort with the Community Action Program of Evansville and the city's Department of Metropolitan Development, is part of a long-range feasibility study to see if this design works for the city.

CAPE CEO Gary Roan presented the homes during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November 2024:

"It's always been my philosophy affordable housing doesn't mean sacrificing quality or having fewer amenities," he said. "To me it means providing the type of housing I would want to live in."

Roan said builders invested in energy-efficient appliances, solar energy and landscaping.

Shipping Container Lookout Tower, Epworth (Blue Ridge), Georgia, United States

Tour Video
Construction Process
Early Build Concept and Construction Video
Plans
Location
About Bill Seeber - Structural Engineer

Project	River Forest Lookout
Designer and Owner	Mark Derenthal
Structural Engineer	Bill Seeber
Containers	Two 20 ft
Location	Epworth (Blue Ridge), Georgia, United States
Year	2023

The River Forest Lookout is an interesting project that puts shipping container-based architecture on a pedestal – literally. The tiny retreat takes the form of a fire lookout tower-style design that consists of two containers raised 60 ft (18 m) above the forest floor in Whitfield County, Georgia.

The River Forest Lookout is situated on 14 acres (5.6 hectares) of rural land and was constructed by owner Mark Derenthal and his family. It was a painstaking job that involved transporting everything to the rural site and assembling the base and stairs, then craning the heavily modified shipping containers into position.

Visitors access the dwelling by staircase. One of the shipping containers serves as an open plan living area. This hosts a some chairs and a dining table, plus a basic kitchen with a mini-fridge, a two-burner propane-powered stove and a microwave. The bedroom area is adjacent and has a double bed. There's plenty of shelving and some storage nooks, and the container has floor-to-ceiling windows and a skylight to maximize natural light inside. The second container, meanwhile, is totally taken up by a spacious bathroom which features a walk-in shower, a flushing toilet, and a sink.

Elsewhere lies a small balcony area with a table and seating for two, plus a BBQ. There's also a rooftop terrace, which is reached by a spiral staircase and contains a fire pit and some more seating.

Naturally there isn't a power grid in such a remote location so the River Forest Lookout runs fully off-the-grid with a rooftop solar panel array. Water comes from a nearby well and it has propane-powered heating, plus a small wood-burning stove, to keep the chill at bay.

Cozy and Affordable Modular Sea Can Home, Alberta, Canada

Construction Process
Specs
Location
FAQ from Blocks Container Structures
About Blocks Container Structures

Builder	Blocks Container Structures
Containers	Six 40 ft
Location	Alberta, Canada
Year	2018

A first for Bow Valley housing is being regarded as an affordable option within pricey mountain communities.

As six sea can containers were lowered onto screw piles and locked into place this past February on a lot in Exshaw, there was curiosity as to what was springing up in the Municipal District of Bighorn hamlet

The modular home, after all, is the first of its kind in the Bow Valley.

A single sea can, or shipping container, is a closed cell, high cube, steel structure of eight by 40 feet (320 square feet) that can carry up to 47,000 pounds.

Sea cans are one of the pieces in a building phase that could potentially lead to providing an affordable housing option in the Bow Valley, said Chuck Lemieux, owner and president of Blocks Container Structures, which put the modular house together.

4 Person Outdoor Sauna + Cold Plunge + Hot Tub + Swimming Pool in 20 ft Shipping Container

3D Renderings
Shipping Container SaunaPlunge Questions
Video
About Backcountry Containers



Experience ultimate relaxation and recovery in our Sauna and Cold Plunge/Hot Tub/Pool uniquely built in a 20ft shipping container.

The sauna is a haven for up to four adults, crafted with cedar tongue-and-groove walls and ceilings, a stone-style tiled floor, and an electric heater.

With a versatile three-in-one design, easily convert the 7 ft x 10 ft pool into an invigorating cold plunge, a tranquil hot tub, or a refreshing swimming pool.

Perfect for a residential backyard or commercial locations like wellness centers, gyms, or, hotels, this build is a user-friendly, plug-and-play experience that provides unparalleled rejuvenation.

Yarrabee - Beautiful 150 m² Shipping Container Home, Tasmania, Australia

Plans
Construction
Video
Location
About Tassie Containers

Project	Yarrabee
Manufacturer	Tassie Containers
Containers	5
Area	150 m² (1,600 ft²)
Bedrooms	3
Year	2023
Budget	$230,000
Price	$1,350,000
Location	Tasmania, Australia

A pair of newlyweds are embracing an unconventional approach to home ownership by building their dream house out of shipping containers amid sky-high building costs and a challenging real estate market.

The Flowerpot couple tied the knot in November 2022 and wanted to see how far they could get building a home with a small budget and a bit of DIY.

They hope to inspire other young Tasmanians trying to break into the housing market.

“This was a good opportunity for us to have a beautiful home, in the location we want without the massive expenses that come with a traditional build,” owner Kiara Rolf said, “It’s been a pretty awesome journey and adventure to go on with your partner.”

2,880 sqft Stunning, Luxurious and Energy-Efficient Shipping Container Home, St. Louis, Missouri

Plans
Video
Location

Project	The Container House
Containers	9
Area	2,880 sqft
Bedrooms	3
Year	2018
Price	$435,000
Location	St. Louis, Missouri

A stunning, luxurious and energy-efficient shipping container home, located on a premier corner lot in the heart of Old North St. Louis! Within sight of Downtown and convenient to the new NGA campus, this home delivers luxury and livability. Known locally as 'The Container House', this 3-story home built from 9 former shipping containers boasts dramatic open spaces and innovative details. The main floor features a sought-after open plan for easy entertaining! Upstairs, the primary suite is an airy retreat, featuring walk-in closets, a large dressing area, a spa-like shower w/skylight and a private covered deck with an Arch view! The top floor hosts two more BRs and lots and lots of flexible space - art gallery. As if all that weren't enough, the expansive yard is a beautifully curated garden of native species, complete with a serene walking path. Signature murals on both sides provide the finishing touches to this urban oasis!