Although the practicality of converted shipping container homes remains debatable, there are still notable examples that are so well-designed, they're worth a good, long look. Like the Container Cabin by Tung Jai Ork Baab Architects in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. Made of four interconnected and stacked shipping containers (plus a fifth on its own), the main structure is covered by a skeletal steel A-frame roof—the resulting structure is an amalgamation of contemporary architectural and something that's just plain fun to look at.
Designed as a holiday home for a young family, the property is part of the studio's ongoing project, OOST Kampville. The project is a retreat destination on the grounds of a former rice paddy field that offers additional rental accommodations and outdoor spaces for urbanites to escape to from nearby Bangkok and other metropolises.
The Container Cabin's particular plot includes a small reservoir, dug out to create raised ground for the foundation of the house. The structure sits on a long concrete and wood deck that links a pool, an additional shipping container that holds a bedroom, an outdoor kitchen, and a seating area to the main structure.
Shipping containers were used to create the house primarily due to limited materials and availability of construction workers in the area. Three containers form the base, with two interconnected to host a living room and bathroom while the other holds a pantry and dining area. Separated from each other, the two units create an open-air porch between them with additional seating (and a tire swing). The fourth container, a bedroom, is stacked perpendicular on top of the three below, forming shade for the patio beneath.
Both the short and long walls of the shipping containers were replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows and doors to create interconnected pathways and openings, making the space livable and also open to the elements.
An oversized A-frame roof was then placed on top of all four containers, in part to protect the living space from rain and to provide additional shading in the Thai heat. The middle section of the roof covering the bedroom container is translucent to let natural light reach the middle deck, while the bottom half of the A is made of steel louvers that open and close to encourage natural ventilation.
A separate shipping container houses additional guest quarters, with a more conventional (yet no less dreamy) style.
Unusual and dynamic, not to mention aesthetic, the Container Cabin makes a case for why shipping container homes may continue to gain momentum.
Published 06-07-2022
