Architecture sea containers; Container houses
The houses with containers or rather, that architecture with metal containers is on the rise. In times of crisis, risky proposals, is what an architect friend of mine commented, who is designing a detached single-family house with maritime modules.
A way of building relatively cheap, fast and tested for many years in different countries. A container house can be a very valid option.
It is curious, in Northern European countries with extreme climates, the construction of modular housing is used and a country like Spain, with a temperate climate, is despised, we like too much the brick!
Container modules have the perfect scale for use in the architectural sector.
What material the containers are made of
The materials of the shipping containers are mainly made of corrugated steel. In some cases, aluminum and plywood with fiberglass reinforcement.
All parts must be identified if we are going to work with them on site. The following diagram will be useful:
What are the dimensions of a container and how much does it cost?
First, these modules are designed to store and transport goods over long distances. However, they have an adequate human scale, i.e., they are valid for designing living spaces, hence the container houses.
Generically, the standard dimensions and characteristics of the container are as follows:
If you want to check more dimensions of the containers you can access HERE. There are many dimensions and types, but if we look for the generic ones, the price becomes cheaper.
Transportation is important in the cost of the containers. If it is left in the garden of our house, the cost will be around 700 € (including unloading at 200 km distance).
As an example and to have an overview of the price of a container… How much is a container worth? According to the latest comments, to obtain a “decent” container for a house, we should pay from approximately 3,500 €.
But there are also all prices….
You can ask for prices and doubts from Ibercontainer. We can display various types and prices of containers, both new and second hand.
When inquiring about container costs, it is also necessary to inquire about transport costs.
What to consider when buying a container for an architectural project
First, for a construction with containers we must recognize the functionality that it will have; for exterior or part of the structure, for interior, only as ornament, etc. An example…
| Appearance | Description |
| Condition of the container | Make sure the container is in good condition. Check the structural integrity, the presence of rust, deformations and holes, as well as the condition of the doors and floor. |
| Container size | Containers come in several standard lengths: 10 feet (3 meters), 20 feet (6 meters), and 40 feet (12 meters). The size you need will depend on your space requirements. |
| Type of container | There are several types, including dry cargo, open top, double door, side door, refrigerated, etc. The type you need will depend on the project. |
| Certification | If you plan to transport the container by sea, you may need a CSC (Safe Container Convention) certification. |
| Pre-treatment | Some have been treated with chemicals that can be harmful to people – check the history! |
| Local regulations | Consult the relevant regulations depending on the location of the future house. Some areas may have specific restrictions. |
| Transportation and installation | Consider the costs and logistics of transportation from the place of purchase to your property. |
| Total cost for construction | Be sure to consider all associated costs, not just the purchase price of the container; transportation, installation, modifications, insulation, etc. |
Initially container houses are not covered by generic regulations (efficiency, lighting, ventilation, insulation, reinforcements, etc.) although we do have guidelines for compliance with general concepts of structure, thermal and acoustic insulation, etc. applicable to any type of construction and use.
What type of container to use in a housing construction
First, we have to be clear about how many transport modules we will need for the project. It is advisable to make a sketch or plan, with the needs of our house and then “play” to fit pieces on the floor of the container house.
- Multiple containers: Usually more than one module is needed per project.
- First floor house: For single-story constructions, new or used containers can be used.
- Multi-storey house: New containers are recommended for the ground floor, second hand for the upper floors.
When building in height, the first floor containers must be new to ensure that the structural stability is intact.
- Container height: Habitable height is a crucial factor. It is suggested to look for 40 ft HC (2.70 m) containers to obtain a living height of 2.40 – 2.50 meters. In corridors or wet areas, we can use lower and more standard size.
- Verify dimensions: When purchasing it is necessary to check both the inside dimensions of the containers and the outside dimensions, depending on the manufacturer, they may change slightly in size.
- Check regulations: It is essential to make sure that the shipping modules comply with the corresponding ISO standard, necessary resistance standards and adequate external measurements.
- Second-hand container: Checking the structural condition is crucial, given its exposure to different conditions during its previous use.
As a note, in the article house plans reference a total of 28 ecological houses that we can investigate different distributions made by large architectural firms.
How does a container work from an energy perspective?
It is an interesting question that we must understand in order to achieve optimization. From the following Final Degree work by Blanca Sanchez (Direct Download PDF) represents a very valuable and well explained report with images as the following (Pages of the document from 34)
You can also learn more in our article on the energy efficiency of prefabricated houses.
Advantages of containerized architecture
- Ease of transport and variety of containers.
- Easily stackable (up to 5 heights depending on their base).
- Fast construction that favors cost reduction.
This section is important, the reduction in cost due to the rapidity in its execution on site. The optimization in the use of materials, machinery, facilities and above all, the control of the work flow during the construction process can have savings of up to 50%.
- Its cost is lower than a traditional construction.
- You favor the environment over the recycling of a container.
- They are resistant and safe.
- They are much more harmless to the environment than traditional construction and do not generate permanent alterations on the ground.
Disadvantages of container architecture
- They are narrow. In some spaces, in order to comply with habitability standards, the combination of several containers will be necessary.
- Need to adapt the architectural project to the dimensions of the habitable module.
- Need for a structural base in accordance with its new purpose.
- Economic investment in its adaptation to its new use as housing. In addition to practice a structural reinforcement if we want to do things right.
- In some projects it will be necessary to use a new container to build the house, usually when several heights are required.
- The maintenance of the container is costly. Corrosion must be avoided.
Plans to build a container house
Due to the dimensions of the modules, in many cases we have to adapt them for the distribution of the different rooms of the house; bathroom, bedrooms, dining room – living room…etc. We provide some distribution plans as an example of design and that can give us ideas.
We can see the following image where four cases are raised (If we click on the image we will see it bigger).
If we want more detailed house plans made with containers like the image below, we will have to go to the professional side with CAD drawings. From the article how to find free Autocad blocks you have it literally solved.
The construction in containers or based on habitable modules is gaining more and more strength in a market that demands a lower cost in the acquisition of housing, and in turn, do not lose the quality and comfort needed.
If someone wants to go deeper into the subject is recommended the book “Book of Interior Design and Architecture: Containers Sustainable Architecture (Monsa)” by architect Luis de Garrido, is not too expensive 9.60 € and possibly one of the best.
How to build and design a house with containers
In this sense, container architecture is developing multiple techniques based on new technologies that facilitate a substantial improvement in the efficient performance and design of the container house.
The construction using containers allows a wide modular game to shape our home. In the following infographic we can see different examples of combinations that enable homes with different shapes:
1.- Container construction guides and manuals.
- Building a house with building site containers HERE.
- Interesting analysis of the interior design of the container house where it focuses on the aspects of color, treatment of rectangular space …etc…. More information HERE
- Innovation in the design of modular housing through the use of containers … More information HERE (Doctoral Thesis)
- The current state of modular and lightweight housing seen from an environmental consideration … You can consult HERE (Very good)
- Article about natural light in interiors and its characteristics (Very good)
From the article modular housing and prefabricated architecture we will find more information and manuals on the subject covering aspects not so focused on the plan of the container house but in the prefabricated with modules and why build it, in addition to its advantages and disadvantages.
2.- Constructions with containers
We leave you a video of the construction process of a container house.
We can also access two articles in which the step by step construction of a house with shipping containers is done: (Warning!… both links take a little time to load)
Container houses
Faced with the existence of different types of modules, designers are providing a series of container houses that go beyond a simple and common aesthetic. Some examples of industrial designs that we like are:
1.- Individual container house
From the team of designers CG Architects they bring us the perfect example of a careful and functional design. A house made with shipping container.
At the base two metal modules where are the day area, on these, there are two others forming a cantilever that houses the sleeping area. A visual spectacle that undoubtedly enhances the good design of the houses made with containers that we are going to see.
This is an example of a container house made by CG Architects.
We also leave you a few examples of residences with containers so that you can see how far you can go.
We really liked the following video for its quality and concept. For those who say they can’t stand extreme temperatures…. It couldn’t be more open to let light in.
Another example of innovation would be the Joshua Tree project by Whitaker Studio. Each container is oriented to maximize views across the landscape and, at the same time, uses the topography to provide privacy.
The residence features three en-suite bedrooms, a kitchen and a spacious living room, each of which showcases a different aspect of the joshua tree. additionally, a covered garage with solar panels provides power to the house.
2.- Buildings with containers
Although container houses are having a considerable increase of followers, the “boom” is focusing on the construction of buildings made with containers mainly due to the low cost and speed of construction.
Examples of a coherent design, there are many, but especially highlights a neighborhood in the city of Amsterdam dedicated to students. There are several buildings with these recycled container structures.
This type of housing has turned Keetwonen into the country’s most important dormitory town, demonstrating that shipping container houses can be converted into fully equipped and affordable housing, all thanks to modular container architecture.
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