Indian J.Sci.Res.

18 (2): 105-114, 2019 ISSN: 2250-0138 (Online)

ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

ABHAY KUMAR UPADHYAYa1 AND AYUSH RAJ SINGHb
ab
School of Architecture, Dr. K.N. Modi University, Newai, Rajasthan, India

ABSTRACT
Shipping containers are used as a new construction technology as it is affordable and feasible. A used 40-foot shipping
container which provides over 300 square foot of living space cost about Rs 1,60,000 and when we stack few of these containers we
will have a larger living space, and different types of container spaces can be built in a matter of weeks. These shipping containers
are made up of steel and are having a lifespan of 30 years which make them so durable to use for construction and other purposes.
Shipping containers are ecofriendly as there is no use of concrete construction techniques which is harmful for environment and it
require less time to complete as compared to concrete construction which saves both the labour work (human resources) and time.
The used shipping containers are sold in the form of scrap metals which makes them affordable. Shipping containers are easy to
work on as we can easily trim it, cut it and weld it. “As there are finite resources in our planet, we need to find new sustainable
construction techniques for the betterment of our environment.”

KEYWORDS: Architectural Spaces, Shipping Container, Container Architecture

Shipping container architecture is defined as a type SCOPE AND LIMITATION
of architecture that is characterized by the re-use of steel
 To study and understand about Container Architecture.
shipping containers as a structural element and
(Definition of Container Architecture and Its
Architectural envelope that can host a specific function or a
importance)
human activity. It is also referred to as cargotecture, a
mixture of cargo with architecture. The use of containers as  To study and understand about the necessity of
a building material has grown in popularity in the past Container Architecture. (Requirement of Container
several years due to their inherent strength, wide Architecture)
availability, and relatively low expenses. It was also noticed  To study and understand about impact of Container
recently that many people built homes with containers Architecture in sustainability. (Impact of Container
because they are seen as more eco-friendly than traditional Architecture & Sustainability in Container
building materials such as brick and reinforced concrete Architecture)
structure, taking also in consideration the short time  To study and understand about the spaces in Container
required to erect a building in this way, with future Architecture. (Architectural spaces in Container
possibilities of moving these buildings to other locations or Architecture)
adding extra spaces or volumes. METHODOLOGY
AIM
To study and understand about architectural spaces
from shipping container (container architecture).

OBJECTIVES
 To study and understand about Container Architecture.
 To study and understand about the necessity of
Container Architecture.
 To study and understand about the spaces in Container
Architecture.

Figure 1: Methodology Chart

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1
Corresponding author
 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

TYPES OF SHIPPING CONTAINER Dry Storage Container

Shipping container come in three standardised Dry Shipping Container are most commonly used
sizes and that is 40 ft, 20ft & 10ft. The type of container shipping containers; they come in various dimensions
depends on the type of products to be shipped or the special standardized by International Organization for
services needed from them, container units may vary in Standardization (ISO). They are used for shipping of dry
dimension, structure, materials, construction etc. Various materials and come in size of 20ft, 40 ft and 10ft.
types of shipping containers are being used now a days to
meet requirements of all kinds of cargo shipping. Some of
them are:

Figure 2: Dry storage container

Table 1 Data for Dry Cargo Container

Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019

 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

Flat Rack Container

Flat rack containers are shipping container with
collapsible sides, these are like simple storage shipping
containers where the sides can be folded so as to make a flat
rack for shipping of wide variety of goods. These container
are especially suitable for heavy load and cargo that needs
loading from the top or sides.

Figure 3- Flat rack container

Table 2 Data for 20' Flat Rack Container

Table 3 Data for 40'Flat Rack Container

Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019

 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

Open Top Container removed to make an open top so that materials of any
height can be shipped easily.
Open top container are shipping container that
come with a convertible top that can be completely

Figure 4: Open Top Container

Table 4 Data for 20' Open Top Container

Table 5 Data for 40' Open top Container

Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019

 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

Tunnel Container container is cut off leaving it open, then a new set of double
doors is welded in place creating a two-way access. A
A tunnel-container is a standard shipping container
'tunnel' can also be constructed from a high cube container,
but having double end doors on either end (double ender).
for clients needing the additional height.
From a standard shipping container, the back end of the

Figure 5 Tunnel Container

Open Side Container comprised of 14 gauge corrugated steel panels throughout
and lockable double door in the end. The open side
Open side storage units are provided with doors
containers are only available in “new” or “one trip”
that can change into completely open sides providing a
condition it is only shipped once.
much wider room for loading of materials. This container is

Figure 6 Open Top Container

Double Doors Container
They are kind of storage units that are provided
with double doors, making a wider room for loading and
unloading of materials. Construction materials include steel,
iron in standardized sizes of 20ft and 40ft. The door of
these container open in two sections allowing the entire
interior end of the container to be accessed. In the used ISO
shipping container world, the only option available is
containers with cargo doors on one end.

Figure 7 Double Doors Container

Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019

 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

SHIPPING CONTAINER AS A BUILDING architectural spaces like residences, offices, dorms, etc.
MATERIAL (Levinson)

There are various reason for considering Shipping

Container as a building material like its durability, low cost
and efficiency. Some of them are as follows:
Expected Lifetime of A Shipping Container
Depending on the use of the container, shipping
containers are designed and manufactured to cope with a
long and arduous life moving goods around the world,
accordingly they are very sturdy and secure. A used
container will usually have been in international operation
for in excess of 10 years and sometimes longer but
depending on use, location and reasonable maintenance it is
not unreasonable to expect a further 10 plus years of use.
While new containers will have completed one journey
from their country of manufacture and with reasonable use Figure 8 - Interior of Container house
and maintenance can be expected to complete over 30 years
as a storage container. (Levinson)
Using Shipping Containers in Creating Various
Architectural Spaces
One of the main questions raised in Containers
architecture is why a steel shipping container can be reused
to create a liveable space. Knowing that geometrically any
space could be defined by different planes, horizontal and
vertical, with a spatial relationship that organizes this space,
defines it, and represents the human function that this space
was created to be performed in, with the scale and
dimensions, another value is added, thus leading to a better
performance in this function, or another function that could
be added or performed. Container houses are becoming
very popular now a days as it require very less amount of
time and saves money.
The Composition of Shipping Container
Figure 9 Composition of Shipping Container
The Shipping container is composed of 6 planes,
Storage Order
floor, top, and four sides, made of steel, in regular
corrugations that help in making these sides strong enough Shipping Containers are designed to be stacked
to tolerate loads, or pressures that may occur during the under very prescriptive loading conditions. It’s impossible
transportation process, in addition to steel posts and to see containers stacked onboard ships or even in shipping
enforcements whether in the corners, or intersections of yards other than the way they were designed and intended
these planes (sides), or below the floor, or above the top. to be stacked – i.e. in horizontal and vertical alignment and
Accordingly, as a structure, it’s designed to resist forces as the reason for this, that they are simply not designed to
mentioned that exceeds the forces being developed in many carry the types of loads created by “criss-cross stacking”.
(Levinson)

Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019

 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

Figure 10 Vertical & Horizontal Placement of Shipping Container

Social and Economic Factors for Containerized BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING AND
Buildings PARAMETRIC DESIGNS
Jure Kotnik describes the cultural development of A further development of the customized container
the container building as ‘bottom-up’; containers were first product has been the development of a standard building
used as shacks and shelters in low economy countries configuration for hotels and other residential buildings,
before they became popular with architects. Containers based on a ‘complete building’ platform with customizable
have been successfully deployed in areas prone to extreme architecture with clear advantages for a parametric
environmental conditions and used as emergency shelters approach to building modeling and production.
and medical centers such for post-hurricane housing.
Container buildings are cheaper than most modular
building systems, which in Europe can be anything from 5
to 20% more costly than traditional on-site construction.
Modular buildings bring other commercial benefits to a
project such as program savings, more predictable quality,
and reduced snagging, but other factors may come into play
in the choice of modular units, such as issues of access, and
local availability of skilled labor. (Bergmann, 2010)

Figure 12 Use of Shipping Containers for making

Figure 11 Low Cost Housing Unit of California parametric design

Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019

 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

CONS OF SHIPPING CONTAINER commonly used shipping routes that is Japan – Netherlands,
Japan – Memphis and Japan Portland. (Broeze, 2002)
The main disadvantages of shipping container are
Temperature and Humidity. Taking in account the three

Figure 13 Shipping Routes

SHIPPING CONTAINER HOME BY Situated on a 90-acre plot owned a Los Angeles-
WHITAKER STUDIO, CALIFORNIA based film producer, the house is a reconfiguration of an
earlier concept by Whitaker Studio for an office building in
Blossoming from the rugged terrain of the Germany that was never realized – a project recalled by a
California desert, Whitaker Studio’s Joshua Tree Residence friend of the client’s during a recent trip to the site.
is taking shipping container architecture to the next level.
The home is laid out in a starburst of containers, each
oriented to maximize views, provide abundant natural light
or to create privacy dependent on their location and use.
(Arch Daily, N.D.)

Figure 15 Interior of Whitaker Studio and Site Plan

The concept of this house is a typical grass that
grow in California desert, the site is located atop a rocky
outcropping where a small gully had been created by
Figure 14 Whitaker Studio

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 UPADHYAY AND SINGH: ARCHITECTURAL SPACES FROM SHIPPING CONTAINER

rushing storm water. The shipping container “exoskeleton” Shipping Containers Architecture Benefits could
will be raised on concrete pilotis, allowing water to be briefed in the following points:
continue to pass underneath.
 Renovation of previously utilized containers that have
Inside, the 2,150-square-foot (200-square-meter) fallen into disuse from ports located worldwide
home will contain a kitchen, living room, dining area and  Containers are highly inexpensive compared to
three bedrooms, each filled with natural light from the conventional building material, ranging from between
angled container light monitors and furnished with pieces $1,500 to $3,000 United States dollars per individual
from designer/architect Ron Arad, Whitaker’s former container and in India a 40’ brand new shipping
employer. Off the back, two containers extend to meet the container cost around Rs 1,20,000 – 1,40,000 and old
natural topography, creating a shielded outdoor area with a ones are sold in scrap metal value.
wooden deck and hot tub.  Containers are considerably sturdier compared to
wooden or brick structures, they also late for multiple
decades with little decay.
 Containers are all standardized with identical designs,
thus all containers can be stacked upon or placed side
by side without requiring additional resources or
planning.
 Renovation of containers take little time, there have
been reports of a container being successfully
renovated for personal living in little as 72 hours.
 Durable against extreme temperature and pests.
 Easily broken down for movement and reassembled
with the same structure intact, requiring little expense
for transit of house between locations.
Figure 16 Whitaker Studio concept model
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Indian J.Sci.Res. 18 (2): 105-114, 2019