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You might have seen them in your area, as these striking metal buildings that are popping everywhere from sylvan areas, to busy metropolis, to a Gulf Coast beach town: homes and businesses made from intermodal containers, aka shipping or ISO containers. These steel boxes, which in past lives were used to carry materials and products all around the world, are now being used for homes and businesses. The word "intermodal" refers to how the containers can be moved from different modes of transportation – from ship, to rail to truck. With more than 17 million of them being used in the world, they are eminently available to use for homes. The containers have a rectangular shape, and are constructed from a weathering steel that has a corrugated appearance. Many homeowners modify the appearance of the containers with paint and other materials, but on their own the containers have a modern-industrial, almost Lego-like appearance. Whether the homeowner decides to modify the container or leave it as be, a storage container home or business stands out. It's easy to see why these metal buildings appear so frequently in design and architecture publications. Why storage containers? First, they are eco-friendly. Of course, in order to make a storage container home livable you need to add plumbing, installation, foundation and more. But by using reclaimed materials the impact on the earth is lower. Plus, because so many of these containers are used in the world, they are piling up around the country. Storage containers are also extremely secure. Because they are metal buildings, they are very difficult to break into — of course, one needs to be sure to secure windows and indoors from intruders. But above all, storage container homes can make a big statement. And although shipping containers seem rigid, they are fairly adaptable. Builders have opted to use them as compact homes, or have taken multiple containers and stacked them or placed them next to each other for a larger home. Others have used them to create small guest homes in their backyards. There is a bar in Gulf Shores, Alabama called “The Gulf” that is made out of shipping containers stacked on each other. There is also a shipping container "city" in Cholula, Mexico. Just two hours outside Mexico City developers arranged 50 shipping containers — which have been turned into bar, restaurants, on a 48,500 square-feet plot of land, and there are courtyards, alleys, streets and gathering places. The BBC television series "Top of the Lake" features a fictional women’s commune in New Zealand that is made of cargo containers. If you want to build your home or business with storage containers, you need to consider some things. These steel boxes will need a lot of insulation to keep warm, and your local zoning laws and other restrictions might impede the building process. Because these buildings are still considered fairly novel, there might be some resistance. But having a unique, eye-catching property showcasing adaptive reuse makes it worth it. Make your next home or building project something the neighbors will talk about. Read more about Oregon metal buildings at: http://www.pbsbuildings.com
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