We love seeing new words enter the modern lexicon. Today, it’s “cargotecture,” used to describe live and work spaces made out of the same shipping containers that arrive at our nation’s ports every day.
Cargotecture
Back in June, such a container touched down in NE Portland, fashioned into a workshop by Seattle architecture firm Hybrid. It was installed, plugged in and hooked up that very same day.
The c384w is made out of two 24’ cargo containers, with their adjacent long walls removed, which creates an open space of 16’x24’. Considered a “workshop,” the new owners are permitted to move it along with them in the future, in Oregon or beyond.
Hybrid says that the c384w could be used as an accessory dwelling unit, with room for a shower-bathroom, galley kitchen and a bed nook with built-ins. The price for the modifed space? About $87,000.
Sure you’d have to pay for the land to put it on, but we like the idea of converting old containers into new usable spaces. Would you give cargotecture a try?
Images: Portland Architecture, Hybrid
Comments (10)
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Nice idea, but after watching the first season of "Dexter," I'll never be able to look at a cargo container the same way again.
view madampince's profile
i used to be in love with all the cargo container designs, and i understand the allure. but when you get to the point of paying $226/sqft what it the true benefit?
i get that you can take it with you, which is novel...but for less than half the cost you could build a workshop, and build a second one after you move.
view nicholas.davamelos's profile
I once saw a show that showed a container studio that could be moved like the one in this post but it was also self sustaining with a rain collector and filtering system, and either solar panels or a wind turbine. I have searched for information on this forever. If some one has heard of this please provide information about it.
view uberest's profile
uberest, this isn't a link to the show but maybe this will help:
http://environment2energy.blogspot.com/2008/06/container-homes.html
a lot of thought has to go into buying something like these containers. just look at this:
http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/container-carriers.html
view *heather leaf*'s profile
$226 p/sqft. bothers me. But then again, if you think about the durability and what this piece of art can withstand compared to your average house. I guess you can think about the controlled environment it was built within also...
view Joey (actually a 200lb male)'s profile
I have seen containers for sale for around $1500 - 1800 on eBay. I understand transportation and such, but 87k. I think someone is paying a high price for novelty.
But I love the idea. I think it is the ultimate expandable housing system.
view wally's profile
Um, no offense to the creatives over at hybrid but i bet they are laughing all the way to the bank. Here in seattle we have a booming used container market and like wally said they're cheap. 2-3k a peice at the local prices.
That said, i'm open to any solution to seattle's housing cost problem. I'd live in one.
view DahliaCactus's profile
Holy Expensive, Batman!
view bumblebeechicago's profile
A friend hung a carport off the side of one and now has car shelter and lockable storage. It works, but isn't very attractive.
I understand that most of these have insecticide impregnated plywood floors that would be a bit nasty to live with. I assume the conversion folks are stripping the containers down to the steel and starting over.
view Poster's profile
I Love Love Love cargo containers! For their novelty (recycled/reused/repurposed/funkiness) & their low cost (potentially).
view MoJonson's profile