The Habitable Shipping Container is a design I developed after reading of similar concepts already in use around the world. My initial design (shown here) is for an entire dwelling in one 8' x 40 container. A home like this could be the ideal solution for someone without a lot of money to put into the construction or for an individual looking for an easy way to move around every-so-often without all the unnecessary accessories of an expensive RV.
Shipping containers like this can be purchased for as little as $1000 via eBay, government liquidations, or private sell-offs. The cost of customizing a container to my designs is, by my estimations, under $5000 if the owner can do most of the basic work himself. Some of the vital components of the dwelling (water storage tank, water heater, heating system, etc) are stored on top of the container in order to maximize interior size.
The first step of the design was insulation. The shipping container is 8' x 40' x 8'6" when completely empty. My design calls for the use of 2x4s and drywall for the walls, allowing for approx. 3.5" of insulated space between the container wall and the drywall. This 3.5" is also enough to contain all plumbing and electrical needs of the resident. After the walls, ceiling and floor have been installed, the interior dimensions of the container are 7'4" x 39'4" x 7'10". This space is divided into five rooms. From the back of the container to the front, they are the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, den/office, and living room. The den/office and living room are joined to allow for variation based on need. The bathroom is a simple design with a shower, toilet and sink, all located against exterior walls to make sewage removal easy. The bedroom is simple, containing a raised bed and a series of shelves or cupboards above the bed that provide much needed storage space. The kitchen shares the storage advantages of the bedroom and is designed in a "L" shape with a sink placed where the user wants on the counter. The wall of the kitchen that faces the den/office has an open window with a small counter for serving food. This counter could also be expanded and used as a makeshift table for two if the den/office didn't have a desk. The den/office and living room can be customized to suit the owner's needs. My model shows my ideal setup including a full desk and living room featuring a couch and TV table.
Future Plans:
More one-container designs
Two and three container designs
Full homes
Modular, rearrangeable system