Recycling material in architecture is becoming increasingly valued in order to enable the creation of sustainable projects. Certainly, naval containers have been one of the elements that have gained prominence in recent years for the design of private and public buildings that respect the environment. In addition to the ecological appeal, containers are a viable choice due to the speed and ease of assembly, the option of a cleaner construction site, or even the different design solutions that this material provides. With their standardized sizes, it becomes possible to create a modular structure that allows infinite possibilities of intervention, so that it suits different uses.
We have gathered here 20 examples of works that adopt the use of containers and some tips that will certainly help you on your next project.
Residential Use
The modulated containers housing establishes a complete production system. This system brings some challenges, such as internal temperature control. To solve this, it is important to study the orientation of the ground and the implementation of the project in order to take advantage of the local climate and to line the inner layers with thermo-acoustic insulation to guarantee the user’s comfort. However, there are also advantages such as ease of assembly. In some cases, each container requires approximately half an hour to be raised. The box structure, doors, windows, roofing, floors, and walls can be completely prefabricated drastically reducing construction time.
Un Dernier Voyage / Spray Architecture + Gabrielle Vella-Boucaud
Lettuce House / HE Ding, WANG Wei, KONG Lingchen
Commercial / Institutional Use
Commercial and institutional uses can benefit from the rhythm of the modular structure to create movement. In addition, the ease of transport of containers is highlighted, facilitating transportation and assembly of the same project for reuse in several places.
Container Stack Pavilion / People's Architecture
APAP OpenSchool / LOT-EK Architecture & Design
SUPERISCÓPIO / Pedro Barata e Arquitetos Associados
Sanlitun South / LOT-EK Architecture & Design
Public Infrastructure
The container can be complemented by small amounts and other types of structures, through different design strategies it can configure a fundamental element to create ephemeral or fixed buildings for public use. As we can see in the following two examples:
Kontenerart 2015 / Adam Wierciński Architekt
11 Tips You Need To Know Before Building A Shipping Container Home
One of the more niche trends in sustainable design of the past few years has been the re-use of shipping containers in order to create the structure of a building.
