Top 20 Innovative Uses of Modular Shipping Container | LOTUS Containers

You’ve seen them, on the deck of ships floating through the seven seas, or on the backs of the trucks accelerating on the roads, or perched on long hauling train headed across the continents, or stacked at depots to give a skyscrapers view. Shipping containers serve a pretty useful function. From storing goods to transporting them over long distances- they have become the ultimate king of modern logistics. The driving factor behind this is their impressive strength & durability. 

The invention of shipping containers dates back to the 1950s when an American transport entrepreneur, Malcolm McLean gifted the world ‘the intermodal shipping containers’. Ever since its invention, it has radically transformed the supply chain, fundamentally altered domestic and global economies across the world. Earlier, which were primarily used only for the storage and transportation of goods has now gained tremendous popularity in the construction field as building materials. 

Yes! You got it right. These sturdy steel boxes are extensively being used to construct things that you would have never imagined.  After serving the logistics industry for 10 to 12 years they come on the edge of their retirement. But that’s not actually the end, they are further embraced and reborn by skilled cargotecture companies and made ready to serve outside the industry for innumerable purposes like building homes, offices, stores, gym, swimming pool, bridges, and many more. Their use as a construction material has grown remarkably due to their inherent strength, pervasiveness, relatively low cost, and environmental friendliness.  

Listing down the top 20 innovative uses of modular shipping containers that will leave you mesmerized

Houses: No dubiety, most of you would just take your step back after hearing ‘shipping containers houses’ but only till you haven’t seen and entered into one. As a matter of fact, a combination of few steel boxes can be beautifully customized with luxuries amenities making them a perfect place to live in. Their sturdiness and durability enable them to be stacked in any layout.

Example- PV14 House, Dallas, Texas

Offices: Shipping containers built offices offers the best solution for people lacking in space and capital both. For the emerging entrepreneur and even established businesses, renting an office space is often quite expensive. This is where modular containers come into action. Because of its affordability, spaciousness, and cost-effectiveness, containers built offices are growing high in demand. 

Example- The Sugoroku Office of Japan

Sauna: Shipping containers are extensively being used to construct saunas. Because of their close pack structure, molding a room out of it and giving them a luxurious look is not at all arduous. For those, who love to enjoy their private space and relax in isolation, a container built sauna is undeniable. Their portability allows it to be moved to any location. 

Stores/Shops: Shipping containers are finding their great usefulness in the construction of stores or shops alongside the road. Those container built stores not only ace in providing ample space but also offers beautiful and attractive designs enticing walkers to enter and shop. 

Example- Chi Chi 4u Burger Bar in Poland

Art Gallery: Modular cargo containers set the best example by being used as art galleries. Not only the artists exhibit their arts but the alluring container-built art gallery itself becomes the biggest inspiration for the visitors giving them a message- how ramshackle steel boxes can be rejuvenated into beautiful art galleries. 

Example- GAD Art Gallery in Oslo, Norway

Camper: Camber constructed out of a modular shipping container offers perfect living accommodation to people planning for camp as it provides a high sense of security and comfort. With the increasing demand by travel enthusiasts, these sturdy steel boxes are extensively being used to construct camper.

Hotels/Restaurants: Hotels and restaurants are no more left abandoned from shipping containers cargotecture. The trend is on the rise in big cities like New York, London, etc. Restaurants like Snack Box and Subway in New York, Beitang in China are already blowing people’s minds away because of their beautiful lightings, creativity, and interior decorative, etc. 

Example- Hougoumont hotel, Fremantle, Australia

Small cafes: Nowadays, containers built small cafes such as coffee bars are seen popping up giving an easy and affordable way to small venders and entrepreneurs. These cool style cafes attract crowds who love to hang around and enjoy beverages with friends and colleagues. In recent times, these pop-up cafes have become an emerging trend in big cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. 

Example- Hummingbird coffee cafe in Christchurch, New Zealand

Schools: You may wonder how a school constructed from shipping containers would look like! But they have been of great usefulness in providing educational infrastructure in poverty-stricken cities. While a brick and mortar infrastructure requires a big sum of capital, retired steel boxes can be easily molded and converted into school buildings and that too within a few weeks.

Example- Waldorf School in Orange Country, California

Hostels: In cities where space constraints are common issues and students residential becomes a major concern, 20’ and 40’ shipping containers stand at the forefront to solve this issue. Yes, their durability and inherent strength enable them to be stacked and form an apartment-like structure. Unlike conventional building materials, cargotectures are now acing in retrofitting and stacking these steel boxes into multi-story hostels. 

Example- Spacebox at Utrecht University

Emergency Hospitals: These large massive boxes do not only cater to commercial & fun industries but their contribution is inclined towards the health sector. They are tremendously being used to build emergency portable hospitals able to be moved and transported to any locations during contingencies such as war, natural disasters, accidents, etc.  

Disaster Shelters: Containers built small homes or shelters are not less than a boon for people devastated from natural calamities or wars. A number of disasters shelters are manufactured in advance to be used as a temporary house during contingencies. 

Nurseries and Gardens: Ubiquitous big size steel boxes have their wide applications in plantation and gardening. Earlier while people had to purchase acres of land to grow plants in bulk nurseries, farms, and gardens have widely started to use them to grow plants. Using shipping containers is considerably an eco-friendly option as large chunks of them are left abandoned on ports and lands after being retired from carrier companies. 

Library: The Amin library structured out of seven steel boxes in Batu, Indonesia has shown the world that they are meant to replace anything coming one’s mind. Built in March 2013, Amin has eight rooms each spacious, painted in different colors with 6000 books on accounts attracts city people to spend their leisure time reading and having fun. 

Swimming Pools: How about having a pool in your backyard! Standard size shipping containers after having spent their 10 to 15 years in the sea still feel young to hold gallons of water in them to satisfy your pool thirst. Unlike bricks and cemented pools that take a long time to construct, 20’ and 40’ shipping containers can be easily converted into a stylish pool because of their perfect dimensional capacity. 

Shopping Malls: Large multi-story buildings and shopping malls that require a strong foundation are widely being replaced by container boxes. It’s of no wonder that malls like Common Ground in South Korea which comprised of 200 containers has already aced the race. Ever since, the trend has been on the rise and the number of malls constructed out of shipping containers is growing at an ever-increasing pace.

Example- Boxpark in Shoreditch, London

Gymnasium/Sports Center: Sturdiness, affordability and wide availability have also made their applications in building a gymnasium and sports centers. Renting spaces for gym and sport requires a big investment. Shipping containers have given wings to the dream of enthusiast fitness entrepreneurs looking for space.

Example- Hatlex Gym in Sweden

Disco & Night Clubs: What could be more amazing than owing a disco at your home! Now, organizing a fun party at your backyard is no more a dream. Those massive size stiff steel boxes can be easily modified into a party space. A container built disco or bars won’t only save your home from after-party cleanliness chores but also impress your neighbors and friends with such a creative and innovative approach for entertainment. 

Example- Container Bar, Austin, Texas, United States

Portable Toilets: Shipping containers outstretch to every part of the need where traditional buildings could not expand their reach. Container built portable toilets are of great usefulness in remote, hinterland locations where building a brick and mortar toilet for a few days projects does not go economical. These movable toilets are also used during the time of emergencies as it can easily be loaded on vehicles and moved to any distance.

Bridges: Being one of the most versatile recyclable products, shipping containers are now in the row to be used in making bridges. While traditional bridge cost money and time in abundance, container built bridges stand just at another corner. Shipping containers’ design makes them unanimous in bridge construction.
Example- Econtainer bridge (to be build)