The convenience and affordability of shipping container use for architectural projects are strongly exemplified in this inclusive list that boasts 37 examples of innovative business opportunities and residential dwellings. From retail spaces and compact housing units to quaint cafe establishments and staffless gym facilities, the shipping container use within the industry has been utilized to the heights of creative thought.
The appeal of the upcycled material is generated by a few features. For one, the prefabricated quality of the containers allows developers to cut costs and enjoy an efficient installment of the facility. Secondly, the modular aesthetic and high flexibility rates allow the structure to adapt to various uses. Thirdly, the overall compact design causes the shipping container to seamlessly fit the plot of even the most limited of sites.
37 Architectural Shipping Container Uses
37
Tiny House Hotel Suites
The Flophouze Hotel Features Rooms Made from Recycled Shipping Containers
36
Deliverable Pre-Fab Homes
MODS International Partnered with Amazon to Offer Pre-Fab Homes Online
35
Shipping Container Offices
Bogotá's Globant Office Features Quirky Design Elements
34
Upcycled Sports Centers
The Halsskov Water Sports Center Uses Upcycled Goods to Create Fun Spaces
33
Two-Story Shipping Container Cafes
The Spout Coffee Company is Made Up of Two Shipping Containers
32
Low-Cost Start-Up Hubs
Julius Taminiau & Carl Turner Architects Made a Shipping Container Village
31
Affordable Shipping Container Apartments
Tempohousing Nigeria Repurposes Old Shipping Containers
30
Shipping Container Suites
'Poshtel' Pop-Ups Will Be Available for Rent Through Airbnb
29
Mobile Shipping Container Boutiques
The Garnet Hill Shop is Housed in an Old Shipping Container
28
Artistic Shipping Container Cafes
The Shreebs Popup Cafe Features a Graffiti-Clad Store Front
27
Shipping Container Backyard Bars
The Honomobar is a Small Bar That Can Be Built in Four Weeks
26
Shipping Container Hotels
Studio Edwards Uses a Trio of Containers for Weekend Getaways
25
Shipping Container Developments
LA is Developing 84 Units of Affordable Housing
24
Shipping Container Taco Shops
Taco Bell Has Opened Its First Permanent Shipping Container Outpost
23
Staffless Gym Start-Ups
China's 'Supermonkey' Lets Gym-Goers Access a Workout Pod Via Their Phone
22
Shipping Container Classrooms
Mb Architecture Created a Shipping Container Structure for a College
21
Upcycled Shipping Container Pools
Modpools Makes Above-Ground Pools and Jacuzzis
20
Millennial Pink Paper Shops
Papersmiths Shoreditch Occupies a Shipping Container at Boxcar Park
19
Futuristic Container Homes
This Joshua Tree Residence is Made Out of Multiple Shipping Containers
18
Crop-Growing Shipping Containers
Freight Farm Grows the Equivalent of Two Acres of Farm Land
17
Shipping Container-Themed Retailers
The Kagiso Store Features a Casual, Rustic Wooden Aesthetic
16
Pop-Up Sandal Shops
The Pop-Up Birkenstock Store is Located Inside a Shipping Container
15
Shipping Container Athletic Stores
The Nike Pop-Up in Rio Was Created with an Industrial Aesthetic
14
Shipping Container Cinemas
Scott Whitby Studio Used 1,000 Foam Pyramids to Make the Caution Cinema
13
Portable Sunglasses Boutiques
The Grove’s Ray Ban Popup Resembles a Revamped Shipping Container
12
Stacked Affordable Housing Solutions
Containerwerk Uses Containers for a Cost-Effective Initiative
11
Shipping Container Coffee Shops
Container Coffee Dublin Offers Caffeine from an Unique Source
10
Shipping Container Nightclubs
Rabih Geha Architects Created a Dark Nightclub in Beirut
9
Modern Shipping Container Abodes
The Wye River Container House is a Luxe Tiny Living Option
8
Triangular Shipping Container Cafes
Triangular Sky Cafe is Built from Recycled Materials
7
Robotic Public Spaces
The MacArthur Annex is Built Out of Used Shipping Containers
6
Repurposed Garden Offices
Architect Created Industrial Garden Offices from Shipping Containers
5
Dump Truck-Inspired Homes
Budi Pradono's 'Clay House' is Topped With a Titled Shipping Container
4
Dedicated Avocado Museums
'The Cado' is a Pop-Up Museum Solely Dedicated to California Avocados
3
Mobile Sportswear Boutiques
Needs & Wants Studios Refurbished a Shipping Container to Sell Apparel
2
Shipping Container Stadiums
The Ras Abu Aboud Stadium Can Be Taken Apart After the Match
1
Pitch-Black Theatrical Performances
The Plays by 'Darkfield' Unfold in Rooms without Light
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Recycled Plastic Tiny Homes
Gary Bencheghib's Home in Bali is Made with 35,000 Plastic Bags
Upcycled Waste Material Furniture
This Cardboard Furniture Design by Lee Lin is Modular
Japanese-Inspired Portable Tiny Homes
Baluchon Designs the Portable Bonzai Tiny Home
Storage-Laden Tiny Homes
This Bright Tiny Home Packs Generous Storage In Limited Space
Couple-Only Tiny Homes
Uncharted Tiny Homes The Limited Tiny House is Small But Mighty
Rooftop Patio Tiny Homes
The Ticab House Tiny House N 2 Makes Use of All Available Space
Angular Artistic Tiny Homes
The Ibiza Tiny House Captures Mediterranean Style for Comfy Living
Ultra-Modern Apartment Designs
No Architects Created a Multi-Functional Modern Apartment
Diminutive Permanent Dwellings
This Unique Tiny Home is Designed For Year-Round Occupation
Sustainable Lightweight Cat Toys
A Team of Designers Create the Pet-Friendly Cat Box
Configurable Nomadic Tiny Houses
The 'PICNIC' House by Mauro Polondak Opens From All Sides
Terrace-Accented Timber Tiny Houses
The P’tit Nid Mobile Tiny Home is Clad in Natural Wood
Sculptural Refugee Shelters
This Refugee Shelter Design Focuses on Flexibility and Airflow
Generously Glazed Tiny Homes
This Vacation House Has An Ingenious Interior Layout
Modular Decor Shelving Systems
The halblang 'Blendend' Shelving System is Adaptable
Pink-Hued Shipping Container Homes
These Pink Shipping Container Homes by Ishita Ganguly are Chic
Tailor-Made Van Camping Systems
The 'CampBoks' Camping Box Elevates Van Living
3D-Printed House Neighborhoods
EYRC and Mighty Buildings Develop the Suburbs of the Future
Capaciously Compact Houses
This Spacious Tiny Home Allows For Elegantly Comfortable Living
Cat-Centric Compact Homes
This Japanese Dwelling Embraces Feline-Friendly Design Choices
Cube-Combining Tiny Homes
This Unique Tiny Home Uses Modular Spaces to Enable Flexible Use
Utilitarian Cargo-Hauling Scooters
The 'Scootility' Electric Scooter Offers Ample Storage Space
Displaced Persons House Designs
The Essential Homes Research Project Has a Bunker-Like Form
Futuristic Portable Pods
This Ventilated Pod is Designed For a Multitude Of Applications
Shipping Container Tiny Homes
UnContained Dreams Designs the Rising Sun Tiny Home
Mobile Office Tiny Homes
The Uncharted Tiny Homes 'The Office' Can Be Taken on the Road
Multifunctional Beverage Carriers
The Conceptual 'ThermoBag' Drink Carrier is All-in-One
Sustainable Pop-Up Shelters
The Maawa X is Ultra-Compact and Can Fit into a Suitcase
Autonomous Timber Transportation Shuttles
The Conceptual 'Timber Shuttle' is Eco-Focused
Eco-Minded Modular Cabins
The DUB Modular Cabin Has a Cost-Effective Construction
Envelope-Packaged Couch Designs
The 'Couch in an Envelope' is Modular and 100% Recyclable
Workplace-Friendly Doghouses
The 'Barc' Dog Kennel is Stylish Enough for Placement in an Office
Supermarket-Style Pavilions
Venice Architecture Biennale's Latvian Pavilion Has a Familiar Form
Modern Compact A-Frame Houses
Linda Cedar Homes Boast Easy-to-Build and Affordable A-Frame Houses
DIY Backyard Office Kits
Coexist Build’s DIY Traveler Series Kit Addresses Modern Problems
Prefabricated Miniature Home Concepts
i29 Creates the Câpsula Concept for Dutch Design Week
Garage-Converted Sustainable Homes
Modern Granny Flat Designs the Carlsbad ADU Conversion
TV Packaging Seating Solutions
The 'Cuna' Furniture by Valeria Coello is Made Out of Cardboard
Split Staircase Tiny Homes
The Build Tiny 'Babbalucci' Tiny House Maximizes Storage and Access
Shutter-Accented Tiny Homes
The houzEKO Tiny House Offers All-Season Efficiency and Privacy
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
Low-Cost Modular Prototype Housing
The Industrialized Building System Prototype Can Be Configured
Shipping Container Storage Drives
The Conceptual 'CARGO' Hard Drive Fits onto a Data Server Ship
Miniature Insulated Home Solutions
Ark Tiny Homes Designs a New Converted Shipping Container Home
Energy-Efficient Prefabricated Homes
The 'SON.DER' Home Offers Environmentally Responsible Living
Wooden Offcut Facades
Kolman Boye Architects Practice Sustainability with This New Project
Fine Automobile Display Containers
Cartainers Introduces the New Ceres 001 Founders Edition
Efficient Shipping Container Solutions
Boxhub Eliminates the Hassle of Buying a Shipping Container
Sustainable E-Commerce Packaging
Dow and P&G China Launch Reduced Weight and Impact Packaging
Mockup-Inspired Garden Structures
New Affiliates & Samuel Stewart-Halevy Create Testbeds
Backyard-Transformed Dwelling Units
Catch Architecture and Obreval Design the ADU Carpintaria
Upgraded Off-Grid Tiny Homes
Minimaliste Designs the Nomad 30 Small Home with Improved Interior
Modular Flat-Pack Cabins
Caspar Schols' Cabin Anna is Versatile and Cost-Affective
Modern Multi-Purpose Japanese Buildings
Akio Isshiki Architect Overhauls an Old Wooden Building
E-Commerce Beauty Packaging
Aptar Beauty + Home's Redesigned Packaging is "E-Commerce Capable"
Flat-Packed Dog Kennels
Foster + Partner Designs the Barc in a Variety of Sizing Options
Multi-Use Apartments
Another Seedbed is Located in Brooklyn and Doubles as a Performance Space
Repurposed Pasta Boxes
Barilla & Marie Kondo are Sharing How to Reuse Packaging
Circus Tent-Inspired Holiday Homes
Cubo Design Architect Designs the Circus Home in Japan
Ultra-Compact Bungalow Designs
Satish Jassal Architects Completes the Haringey Brick Bungalow
Box-Like Innovative Apartment Designs
Photon Studio's Designs the Box in the Box Apartment
Bauhaus-Inspired Mobile Doghouses
Conran and Partners Design the New Bowowhaus Doghouse
Socializing-Centric Tiny Dwellings
The 'Buttercup' Tiny Home Lets You Have Guests Over
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Contemporary Sustainable Mobile Homes
IAAC Designs the MO.CA (MOBILE CATALYST) Mobile Home
Modular Camping Furniture
'Owomo' Created a Line of Build-Your-Own Camping Panels
Upcycled Tower Designs
3XN Shows How Sustainable and Cost-Cffective Reuse Can Be
Sustainable Produce Packaging
These Cascades Eco-Friendly Produce Baskets are Recycled
Captivating Modern Prefab Cabins
Lloyoll Prefabs Creates the SKALI BackCountry Cubiod
Bio-Based Compact Housing
Woonpioniers Designs the Sustainable Sprout Ruben & Marjolein House
Reusable Material Office Buildings
The MVRDV 'Matrix ONE' is Capable of Being Easily Demounted
Architecture-Inspired Furniture Capsules
SeungBum Ma Designs the Form-Functional Archi-Furniture
Copper Shell-Enclosed Museums
Wutoqpia Lab Designs the Copper Blockhouse Space in China
Micro-City Housing Nooks
Notan Office Transforms an Industrial Site in Brussels
Sustainable Furniture Capsule Shops
Light and Dwell Open up a Store of Furniture Designs
Bamboo-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Cultural Center Seamlessly Blends Into its Surroundings
Discarded Toys-Created Homes
Wallmakers Designs the Toy Storey Home with Repurposed Toys
Weekend Excursion City Vehicles
The Playbox Urban Mobility Vehicle is Imagined for 2040
Renovated Compact Loft Apartments
Metre Architects' Vessel Project Renovates a Small Space
Green Thermoformed Cardboard Trays
Cascades Launches Innovative Packaging for Fresh Produce
Accelerated Modular Housing Construction
David Baker Architects Pushes for Housing in San Fran
Prefabricated Exposed Structural Homes
Workshop Architecture Inc Designs the Unfinished House
Caterpillar-Shaped Apartment Buildings
Undecorated Developed an Eye-Catching Metal Building
Revitalized Grain Terminal Buildings
This Grain Terminal Will Be Turned Into a Hotel and Residence
Economical Modular Wooden Homes
The Cake House Reinvents Housing in the Czech Republic
Upcycled Waste Tiles
Monostudio Associati’s Monoferments Project is Sustainable
Community-Centric Office Spaces
Shubin Donaldson Architects Designs the Tricon Residential Office
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Tent-Like Exhibition Pavilions
Buero Wagner Creates the Adaptable Black Pavilion in Rome
Demountable Wooden Retail Spaces
Architecture for London Designs Present & Correct's New Space
Upcycled Plastic Construction Companies
'Kubik' Uses Plastic Waste as a Sustainable Material
Shed-Like Storage Facilities
Lahznimmo Architects Designs the Powerhouse Castle Hill
Ocean-Friendly Upholstery Textiles
The 'Sport' Textiles Are Crafted From Shoreline-Sourced Plastic
Versatile Utilitarian Furniture
Equiparc Presents teh Collection 40 of Modular Furniture
Compostable Foodservice Packaging
These Sabert Pulp Food Containers are Convenient
Minimalist Aluminum Furniture Collections
URBANCRAFT Debuts the Monochrome Basics Collection
Warehouse-Transformed Homes
Fala Atelier Designs the House of Many Faces in Porto
Reusable Banana Containers
Fresh Del Monte Launches a New Banana Container with Arena Packaging
Industrial Architecture-Themed Installations
The Industrial Archaeology Series is Based on Design
Industrial Concrete Structural Offices
Diez + Muller Arquitectos Designs a New Office for Novopan
Welcoming Prefabricated Student Housing
Ignacio Prego Architectures Designs New Student Housing
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Portable Pet Shelter Backpacks
The Travel Habitat Carrier is Designed with Multiple Functions
Pop-Up Event Companies
'Steel Space Concepts' Provides Mobile Structures for In-Person Events
Locally Sourced Angular Cabins
Juri Troy Architects Designs the Straw Flea House in Murstetten
Chic Nautical-Inspired Apartments
TENKA ARKITEKTURA Designs a Stylish and Textured Apartment
Modern Mobile Futuristic Homes
Nestron Presents its Range of Contemporary Tiny Homes
Boat-Inspired Community Center
Snøhetta & WERK Architecture Design the Esbjerg Maritime Center
Carbon Concrete Cubic Buildings
Henn and the Technical University of Dresden Design the Cube
Eco-Friendly Refurbished Studios
Workers of Art Presents the WOA Second Home in Kochi
Youthful-Inspired Office Designs
OSO Architecture Creates the New Office for Esalco Logistics
Upcycled Aircraft Luggages
Emirates Launches a Collection Made from Upcycled Aircraft Interiors
Thoughtful Wheeling Cabinets
Anna Søgaard's Cabinet on Wheels Emphasizes Mobility in the Everyday
Earthy Tonal Tiled Sheds
LMNL Office Designs the Studio Shed in Brabant, the Netherlands
Mobile Dorm-Designing Features
Pottery Barn Teen Unveils a New Dorm Shop and Expanded Features
Sustainable Cubic Homes
Appels Architekten Designs a New Wooden Home in Germany
Log Cabin-Inspired Modern Homes
Balbek Bureau Renovates a Home in Ukraine with Steel and Concrete
3D-Printed Public Pavilion Prototypes
Hassell Works with Nagami on a New Public Pavilion
Bright Red Timber Buildings
Office ParkScheerbarth Designs the Compact Haus 2+ in Berlin
Arched Concrete Community Centers
Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónica Designs a New Center
Sustainable Growing Containers
The HC Companies Debuts the Revamped Horticultural Containers
Lighthouse-Functioning Concrete Structures
Lin Architecture Creates the Concrete Pavilion in China
Low-Carbon Student Housing Crescents
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios Designs Housing in Cambridge
Latticed-Steel Transport Hub Columns
Tremend Designs the Metropolitan Station in Lublin
Upcycled Paint Boxes
Up Paint's Up Box Helps Consumers Ship Back & Recycle Old Paint
Modular Tent Classroom Designs
Zaha Hadid Architects Designs a Series of Classrooms for Refugees
Sustainable Chemical Refill Centers
The Friendly Chemical Co. Launches its New Refill Stations
Temp-Controlled Smart Containers
Tower Cold Chain Debuts New Upgrades to its ‘Smart’ Containers
Reused Skyscraper Furniture Capsules
Niceworkshop Creates the Aged Form Line and New Form Line
Mass-Timber Transport Hubs
BIG and A+ Architecture Build the Marengo Multimodal Transport Hub
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
Reconfiguring Dutch-Based Cabin Designs
Caspar Schols Created the New Modular Cabin Anna
Industrial Warehouse-Inspired Offices
Carr Designs a New Office Block with Industrial Themes
Upcycled Down Furniture Series
Christoph Kurzmann Breathes New Life to Old Furniture
Wooden Pavilion Seaside Homes
LAND Arquitectos Designs the House of Circumstances in Chile
Pre-Fabricated Fire Stations
Wittman Estes Forms the Rapid Assembly Fire Station 67
Versatile Office Shelving Systems
Narbutas Designs the Modular Combus Shelving System
Disaster-Ready Housing Prototypes
Holcim & Norman Foster Join on the Essential Homes Project
Lantern-Topped Sleek Workshops
Cabinet Designs the Gardeners House in a Park in Geneva
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces