Let's say I had a dozen shipping containers and a block of land in suburban Sydney.
Could I find an architect to design a 4br home incorporating these dozen containers? Would I be better off organising a design competition?
Could I get it built in less that 6 months for under $200k?
Would councils baulk at approving such a house?
Shipping containers
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I'd like to see the planners face.
There is a guy in SA who builds low cost housing for africa out of containers, (cuts a window, puts in a sink and bunks etc) and I know of people who have lived under a roof between 2 x containers while they built their house.
So yes it can be done, and it is cheap, and I'ld like to hear what the planners say?
Why not go two stories, use one on an angle as the ramp to the top level,
But beware, steel walls get very cold so you will need to insulate and avoid condensation etc.
Steve
There is a guy in SA who builds low cost housing for africa out of containers, (cuts a window, puts in a sink and bunks etc) and I know of people who have lived under a roof between 2 x containers while they built their house.
So yes it can be done, and it is cheap, and I'ld like to hear what the planners say?
Why not go two stories, use one on an angle as the ramp to the top level,
But beware, steel walls get very cold so you will need to insulate and avoid condensation etc.
Steve
Nice idea. I once fancied using containers to create a tunnel 'hallway'. Trouble is I doubt you'd ever get approval to build.
I thought about buying a couple of containers putting them side by side and burying them in the backyard and making a home theatre under the ground!!
I could turn it up as loud as i liked then...my wife didn't like the idea!
It also reminds me:
There was a Sports centre in South East Melbourne that had several shipping containers buried under the carpark for storage etc. by the owners during construction.
The same Sports centre was busted a few years back for the cultivation of dope (pot)....
Guess where the plants were grown??
Matt
I could turn it up as loud as i liked then...my wife didn't like the idea!
It also reminds me:
There was a Sports centre in South East Melbourne that had several shipping containers buried under the carpark for storage etc. by the owners during construction.
The same Sports centre was busted a few years back for the cultivation of dope (pot)....
Guess where the plants were grown??
Matt
Hmm. I wouldn't be throwing steel containers underground. Rust and collapsing come to mind. Let alone heat lamps and water
Hey matt, why didn't you make a basement under the new house as a movie theatre.
A mate of mine did that years ago and it still is used regularly. These days with DVD, but in the past it as 8mm movies.
Steve
Hey matt, why didn't you make a basement under the new house as a movie theatre.
A mate of mine did that years ago and it still is used regularly. These days with DVD, but in the past it as 8mm movies.
Steve
Here's a couple of intersting articles on this........so it is possible
http://extraonline.com.au/stories/story/11520.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... llloyd.DTL
http://extraonline.com.au/stories/story/11520.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... llloyd.DTL
The plan was to use the containers for specific purposes within the house (e.g. bathrooms, kitchen, laundry) and then build the rest of the structure around them with conventional materials. I like the idea of the ramp. The second of your articles Sally is just what I was looking for. I read a few articles about Samuel Mockbee a few years ago, and while I'm not trying to emulate him there are some ideas worth considering (esp. as I am cheap).
I think my local council would flinch, and I don't propose to engage in illicit agriculture to fund my appeal to the Land & Environment Court, but we'll see.
Rendering the outside and plastering the insides of any containers used externally might be the go.
Thanks!
I think my local council would flinch, and I don't propose to engage in illicit agriculture to fund my appeal to the Land & Environment Court, but we'll see.
Rendering the outside and plastering the insides of any containers used externally might be the go.
Thanks!
Hey Matt,
Maybe it was this guy?
Good luck awelder.
Obvious choice of name given the material your building with.
Steve
Maybe it was this guy?
Good luck awelder.
Obvious choice of name given the material your building with.
Steve
Hi Awelder
I was obsessed with the idea of building with shipping containers, but then realised our block just isn't big enough! There's some amazing design happening out there!! Personally, Adam Kalkin is my favourite (see www.architectureandhygiene.com). If you haven't already, google container architecture for heaps of links (though it does necessitate a bit of trawling). www.containercity.com is also interesting.
If you're not including the cost of the containers, I'd have thought $200,000 would get you something really funky. Though you'd have to expect to pay a fortune for the architectural and engineering side of things.
Sean Godsell is the only Australian architect I know of who's done container architecture here (but there are probably others around, I just didn't pursue it). Personally, I find his stuff quite objectionable in terms of its values and ethics, but I like his aesthetics.
I don't think the containers would pose any inherent problem with your council, though they'd want to be very convinced about the engineering and also things like insulation. (Adam Kulkin's places are glorious but I suspect they're an ecological nightmare)
If you have the luxury of time, I reckon it would definitely be worthwhile running a design competition. P'raps start with your local architecture faculties.
Let us know how you get on!
Best wishes (and green with jealousy)
e.
I was obsessed with the idea of building with shipping containers, but then realised our block just isn't big enough! There's some amazing design happening out there!! Personally, Adam Kalkin is my favourite (see www.architectureandhygiene.com). If you haven't already, google container architecture for heaps of links (though it does necessitate a bit of trawling). www.containercity.com is also interesting.
If you're not including the cost of the containers, I'd have thought $200,000 would get you something really funky. Though you'd have to expect to pay a fortune for the architectural and engineering side of things.
Sean Godsell is the only Australian architect I know of who's done container architecture here (but there are probably others around, I just didn't pursue it). Personally, I find his stuff quite objectionable in terms of its values and ethics, but I like his aesthetics.
I don't think the containers would pose any inherent problem with your council, though they'd want to be very convinced about the engineering and also things like insulation. (Adam Kulkin's places are glorious but I suspect they're an ecological nightmare)
If you have the luxury of time, I reckon it would definitely be worthwhile running a design competition. P'raps start with your local architecture faculties.
Let us know how you get on!
Best wishes (and green with jealousy)
e.
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