Initially, container houses are famous in America such as Texas, California, Alaska, Oregon and other countries in Europe. Until finally, Asia began to use a similar concept with this container house. Even the smallest container can make a house with a floor area of about 30 square meters.
Containers themselves can be processed into many functions, apart from residential housing, the container can be a shelter in open spaces or a selling booth. Houses made of containers can last up to 25 years, you know!
What is a container house?
A container is a crate commonly used to transport goods. Typically, containers weigh between 24,000 kg and 30,480 kg.
Containers have often been praised as a usable structure since the 1980s. The first Container House was made in 2006 by Peter DeMaria who is from California. Apart from being used as a place to live that saves construction waste, containers are also used as housing materials because they have the ability to withstand termites, fire and fungi.
The advantages of container house
Using containers as the main structure of a house has advantages in its definite sustainability value. However, it turns out that there are other advantages of this container house concept!
1. Simple and unique design
If you like a minimalist or simple house with a square shape composition, then this container house can be the right house for you. Because of the containers, the overall shape of the house will definitely tend to be simple rectangles or a combination of laying out rectangular shapes. The concept of a container house tends to be clean and simple. You can also use the top of the container as a floor for open spaces without columns.
2. Environment friendly
Waste from property sector is the second largest waste category in the world. Construction of a container house is certainly a form of processing existing waste so that it can be called environmentally friendly. There are many containers out there that are no longer functional but return to a high value when processed into housing function.
3. Adequate Cost
One of the advantages of building a container house is a more definite budget estimate and it is cheaper than a regular home. Most of the container construction work is done at the factory at fixed prices. Construction of houses with containers starts from Rp 15 million for used containers measuring 6 meters. You can adjust everything according to the budget you have!
4. Efficiency of processing time
The main raw material in the form of containers helps make it easier for you in efficient processing time. Usually, the construction of an ordinary house takes at least 6 months, even years to complete. Meanwhile, this container house can be ordered from a container processing construction factory, with professional personnel and tools of course. Therefore, the build can be completed in less than 3 months.
5. Moveable
Since the main function of the container itself was previously a box to facilitate the movement of large quantities of goods, then obviously your container house has the potential to be moved too. Unlike a normal house, where you have to sell and buy a house again if you want to move to another area. However, you must ensure that the new area where you will live is indeed possible and allows for you to move.
Disadvantages of a container house
In addition, you also have to consider the shortcomings of the container house concept or the use of containers as the main construction of the residence.
1. Customize the standard size of the container
The size of the container itself already has a standard according to the factory. The smallest international standard containers are 6 meters long, 2.4 meters wide and 2.5 meters high. The length of 6 meters is only the outermost size, so the inner dimension itself is 5.7 meters. So you have to adjust your spatial arrangement according to the size of the container.
2. Tends to absorb heat
The container uses aluminum and has good heat conductivity. However, you can overcome this by lining the inside of the container with wood or bamboo. You can also paint the outside of the container white to reduce the intensity of the sun’s heat.
Things You Must Prepare Before Making A Container House
1. Make a plan
Before you build a container house, first make a plan carefully. Starting from the design, the budget, and the location.
2. Find the right architect
after you plan your plan carefully, it’s time for you to find the right architect to build your container house.
3. Buy a used container
After the two steps above, it is time for you to buy a used container to build your container house. You can get used containers at online stores that usually sell new and used containers. Make sure the shop is trusted!
4. Prepare the foundation
Finally, to build a container house, there are 3 main foundations that you should know.
- Piers Foundation. The simplest and cheapest foundation.
- Slab on gab foundation. Suitable for container houses that are placed on soft grounds.
- Pile Foundation. Suitable if your land is weak.
Home Design Inspiration Using Containers
If you like the concept of a minimalist house that utilizes containers as a whole, here are some examples of designs that have successfully processed containers as a place to live without requiring a lot of additional construction raw materials.
1. Cambará Container House
The architects Saymon Dall Alba Arquiteto and Mégui Dal Bó Arquiteta designed this Cambará Container House in Brazil. This container house project is based on the industrial modular construction concept, of two 6 meter containers connected in parallel, covering a total area of 68 square meters.
With its compact size, this house gives an intimate impression to the residents in it.
The bedroom, dining room, TV room are arranged without partition with a modified wide glass window on the container door.
2. Container House
Located in Chile, this Container House can function as a residence or a multifunctional room. Utilizing two containers to form an open space in the middle, then adding a simple steel construction as a roof. This provides an open space between the containers which functions as a kitchen, dining area, lounge, as well as a place for activities during the day.
This container house concept can be adapted into a community space or cafe with open spaces in Indonesia.
3. Casa Container Granja Viana
This container house in Brazil with a building area of 196 square meters outsmarts the placement of the container. The two containers on the first floor are lined up at a distance apart creating additional space in the center. Then, the next container is arranged on top of the two containers to form a second floor which also houses the living room.
Other than that, the top of the container on the first floor is used as a balcony and a green roof. Green roofs also help reduce heat absorption from the sun.
Inspirational Container House Design Concept
Want to have a container house design but consider the drawbacks of the concept? You can try adapting the shape and composition of a container house into your home with the same construction materials as a house in general! The play of squares and repetitive line textures is the key to the main concept of the container house.
1. Clay House
Designed by Budi Pradono Architects, this house sits on a hill in Lombok. Processing the concept of environmental context and efficient use of materials, this house uses one recycled container. The container is placed on an angle to form a taller and wider space inside.
Then to reduce heat, the inside of the container uses bamboo material. The architect also paint the container white so that it reflects the silhouette of the sun to make it feel cooler inside.
2. PV14 House
This house uses aluminum which looks like a container on the second floor. This design is suitable for those of you who like the simple and modern impression of a container house. The square shape is an element that forms the house as a whole.
You can use concrete floors and exposed steel structures. As well as aluminum on the ceiling surface which adds to the impression of a container house.
You can also read other articles on our blog, as well as recommendations for monthly apartment rentals in Jakarta by Flokq.
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