Core77

Debbie Glassberg's Super Shipping Container House

By Rain Noe - April 7, 2011

in Object Culture

Industrial designer Debbie Glassberg has got, hands down, the most stylish shipping container house we've seen yet. Erected in Kansas City, Missouri, the five-container house was designed by Glassberg and an unnamed partner. It encompasses 2,600 square feet kept toasty by geothermal heating and is decked out with design touches throughout, as seen in this extensive slideshow, which also features construction shots.

Here's a video on the house shot by a local news crew:

Glassberg considers the house a prototype and is aiming to create future versions for $125 per square foot.

For those with a particular interest in shipping container construction, check out Dekalb Market's "Not Just a Container" competition: it's down to the wire for submissions, which is just two days away, but an expert panel will select the five top finalists by April 19th, at which point the public will have the chance to vote on the winner through the end of the month.

o

Favorite This
Q
4

Comment

Comments

Cargo homes

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I would love to build a home like yours. Seeing more and more of these container homes is a great thing. Plenty of eco benefits and good karma if you use used container homes. I am hoping to build one of my own container homes one day.

Loved the video.
!Report as spam
Shipping Container Homes

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I am perhaps the greatest fan of container based construction in the World, I have been involved in the movement for many years and today teach people to build with low cost, durable and green homes using containers.

This house looks visually stunning but there are two major issues I have.

1, This is a 2600 sq ft 2 bedroom home.

In 1970 the average home in the USA was 1400 sq ft
In 2004 the average home in the USA was 2330 sq ft

We are supposed to be downsizing why is a 2 bedroom 2600 sq ft ?

2, These are NOT used containers.

They where constructed in China brand new and over sized ( so they are not really shipping containers at all they just look like them ) - you could put them on the road without an over size permit - but my point is why ? To appear green ?

Dragging 8000 lb + steel boxes from China to act as the frame of a house in the USA is not in any way green.

For anyone that is interested in container homes, please please lets not bring the major mistakes of the past into this niche.

Think - use what you need and reuse and recycle materials whenever possible.

There are videos on the good the bad and the ugly about container based construction here

http://www.containerhome.info/side-wall-modifications.html

Regards

Victor

!Report as spam
Container Pros

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Cinonymous: You're looking at it wrong. I think that if you go and try to replicate this house using traditional building materials, you would end up paying much more. Plus shipping containers are made to last, so just imagine how durable your house will be!
!Report as spam
Cinonymous

13 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

So, $325,000+ for a house made of shipping containers? Absolutely crazy.
Yes, it looks good. I thought part of the appeal of shipping container construction was the lower price and ease of construction. People will laugh at you when you tell them how much your fancy box cost.
!Report as spam