Homes inside shipping containers are fast to build, sustainable and eco-friendly, which are all traits that I find particularly interesting. Due to the units being built in a factory environment, they are standardised and reliable in terms of their size, materiality, shape and strength. Another benefit is that a shipping container is built for its original use to carry around 57,000 pounds which means that they done need vast amounts of securing to the foundations as they are heavy and intended not to move when placed on a ship, attached just on its four corners. In parts of America, for example Florida and South Carolina where hurricanes are a threat, these houses are fantastic as they offer sustainability and strength and are very fire proof and resistant to weather damage.
| It is particularly effective when multiple containers are used and create student housing or a hotel. An example of this that I have seen first hand is the Snoozebox Hotel, which is at the Silverstone racetrack, while at the MotoGP. I'm not 100% sure that they were shipping containers but they are reused from some industrial former life, however I thought they were fascinating. |
Bobvila. (2013). 10 Cool Shipping Container Homes. Available: http://www.bobvila.com/container-homes/44304-10-cool-shipping-container-homes/slideshows/?bv=inset#!0. Last accessed 29th Nov 2014.
Snoozebox. (unknown). Snoozebox. Available: http://snoozeboxhotel.co.uk/hotel/silverstone/. Last accessed 29th Nov 2014.