In less than four hours, a construction team managed to build a two-story house out of six 45-foot-long shipping containers.
The building, located in New Haven, Conn., was designed by Christian Salvati and Edsel Ramirez of Marengo Structures. The apartments cost $360,000 to build, and Salvati purchased the lot for $22,500 from Hill Development Corporation.
Jetson Green reports that Salvati hopes that he will see a large decrease in cost as he builds more shipping container homes, once the economy of scale becomes applicable.
The builders moved the containers to the construction site on flatbed trucks, then used a crane to put them in place. Holes for doors and windows and some of the interior walls to make rooms were cut out prior to construction.
Here's a photo recap of the project:
A concrete foundation, approximately 45 times stronger than the foundation used in the construction of standard houses, was laid prior to construction as well.
While the front of the house is fitted with a wooden facade that matches other houses in the neighborhood, the gray exterior sidewalls are still visible. Salvati left the container's original doors in place, and they now swing out to create the sides of the rear back porch.
The home has two separate apartments. Students are currently renting out the downstairs apartment, and Salvati uses the upstairs apartment when he vists New Haven. Inside, the apartments don't look like they're built from shipping containers.
![](/sites/default/files/indoor2_0.jpg)
The interiors have sheetrock walls and ceiling; the floors are made of poured and polished concrete. While heated by baseboard hot water heaters, the home also has radiant floors. Air conditioners, ventilators and ceiling fans have been installed for cooling. Finally, the walls are insulated with six inches of soy-based sprayed cellulose.
Related Stories
| Apr 11, 2013
Hal Henderson Appointed to HGA Board of Directors
HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA) has appointed Hal Henderson, AIA, to its Board of Directors for 2013. Henderson is vice president and director of the firm’s Rochester office.
| Apr 11, 2013
George W. Bush Presidential Center achieves LEED Platinum certification
The George W. Bush Presidential Center announced today it has earned Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The Bush Center is the first presidential library to achieve LEED Platinum certification under New Construction.
| Apr 11, 2013
American Folk Art Museum, opened in 2001, to be demolished
Just 12 years old, the museum designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will be taken down to make way for MoMA expansion.
| Apr 10, 2013
First look: University at Buffalo's downtown medical school by HOK
The University at Buffalo (UB) has unveiled HOK's dramatic design for its new School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences building on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.