A group of British designers is converting steel containers into inhabitable spaces. They look like Lego buildings.
The first Container City construction
If you’re planning a trip to London, you should add the Docklands neighborhood to your list of favorites. This was formerly one of the largest ports in Europe and the city’s main communication and transport route. Today, it is a residential district with several attractions and perhaps the least touristic of these is Container City, a building of artists’ workshops and living quarters built out of colorful containers designed by the Container City group.
The building is made up of several modules the designers call "cubes". They’re actually classic containers, the sort used to transport merchandise on ships. This group of architects and designers was wise enough to see the possibilities building by modules has to offer and they knew how to exploit its advantages to construct ecological, versatile and affordable buildings.
Though they look very industrial from the outside, the interior bears no resemblance to those cold shipping modules. Container City aims to transform these cubes into inhabitable, comfortable, and cozy spaces ... The pieces’ rectangular shape makes them extremely versatile; they offer many possibilities since they can be combined in almost infinite ways, as if they were chips from in a Scrabble board game. Click here to see all the projects they’ve carried out to date.
These modular structures are a perfect alternative for building educational facilities, offices, art studios... and also homes. In case you’re still not convinced, we’ll give you 6 reasons to live in a container:
It’s ecological. These constructions are ecologically responsible. Their construction does not produce acoustic contamination, they gather and reuse rainwater, and you can add windmills to generate electricity. You can even lay grass turf on the roof and let the rain water it.
It’s affordable. Building a container-home is considerably cheaper than building a home out of bricks or cement. It’s also faster to build.
It’s portable. If you move to another city or country, you can take the whole house with you.
It’s flexible. It’s easy to add extensions. Have you outgrown your living room? Add a module and double its space.
It’s versatile. You’ll save on artificial lighting. Choose where you want the windows and have a hole made there.
It’s original. Be the first in your group of friends to move into a house shaped like Lego pieces. Paint your container your favorite color.
If you’ve always dreamt about living in a Lego house, here’s your chance.