$1800 used shipping container as architects' backyard office

Shipping containers are built to carry huge loads and the refrigerated units are very efficient at climate control. So it's unsurprising that when they're retired from the sea, they're being used as the building blocks for homes and offices.

Given their strength they work well in earthquake country. In Berkeley, California architect Karl Wanaselja and his business partner and wife Cate Leger created their home-office using a shipping container. It cost just $1800.

Wanaselja and Leger cut their 40 foot long refrigerated unit in half and placed it in a T shape in their backyard (with the help of a crane). They didn't need to add any insulation: they're designed to not have any thermal bridging between the interior and exterior and the polyisocyanurate insulation has the highest R-value of any foam insulation.

Using a sawzall (reciprocating saw), the couple cut huge windows into the aluminum/stainless steel structure. Wanaselja says he was initially intimidated by the idea of crafting out of aluminum (the exterior material) and stainless steel (interior), but "once I got over my learning curve I actually like working with metal".

In this video, the couple talk about working in a cargo container, using materials like the soy-based plywood floor (Purebond) and the music made by rain and branches on a metal roof.

Original story here: http://www.faircompanies.com/videos/view/1800-used-shipping-container-as-arch...

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• shipping container
• cargo container
• container architecture
• cargo container architecture
• container construction
• cargo container construction
• container office
• small office
• small space
• shedworking
• live work
• home office
• Karl Wanaselja
• Cate Leger
• Leger Wanaselja Architecture
• Green Dwellings

[tgseason12]

What camera is that being used at 4:20 ?

[kirstendirksen]

@tgseason12 It's a Sony HVR-Z5U. Not cheap, but I've had it for 3 years so far and it shoots a nice HD image.

[c33r0k33]

curious... did they discuss their solar oven that was in the video?

[kirstendirksen]

@c33r0k33 They did talk about it.. I just didn't edit that in as there was such much great stuff to cover and it didn't seem as related to the house. They love it. They say they cook a lot of their food in it and that it works well.

[coolerow]

@kirstendirksen Hi kristen, did he by any chance say where he purchased his windows?

[kirstendirksen]

@coolerow I don't think so, but I know a lot of people in the Bay Area get secondhand windows from the architectural salvage place Urban Ore. They have beautiful stuff from what I've seen from some of the homes in my videos.

[Sashadigsweed]

I think its time I stop dreaming and take action. Time to actually do something. There is an older camper for sale near to me. I might purchase it and start the downsizing/re-learning process by living in it while making the personal decisions about whatever it ends up being that I decide to create in the meantime.

[ddrrealtor]

They make awesome houses too! 

[denastevens]

I love the idea of re-purposing the shipping containers. It would be better if they never existed to begin with, but since they already do exist why not find good uses for them. My mind is clicking away for ideas on how I might use one. I wonder if local building inspectors / counties have issues with them being used like the example in this video?

[tgseason12]

@phantompanic

Haha, I knew I was going to get something about 420 from that post as soon as I saw the time code. ;)

[phantompanic]

@tgseason12 Camera? I was thinking joint! :)

[uncomelon]

@kirstendirksen I love the comsept of making a home from cargo container. But how does the building inspector work around this?? what law protect you to build it, some times the are a pain in the butt..

[olger05]

@Gyrkin59 I absolutely agree with you.

[Gyrkin59]

@olger05 Welcome. Thing is, there is no such thing, really, as the Full Truth. We all have subjective perspectives. But regarding plastics, definitely one of the two things that was a wrong turn in our evolution (along with the combustion engine) that we MUST dispense of to move forward.