TWINBOX 1280
This modular design uses four 20 foot shipping container module and two 40 foot shipping container modules to create a 1280+ square feet “TWINBOX” house. This three bedroom house is designed to accommodate a common bathroom, a kitchen, dining, open plan living space and a master ensuite. The containers sit on a 250mm reinforced concrete-raft foundation. This allows to elevate the containers off the ground away moisture. You are encouraged to observe construction good practices on; concrete ratio mix, climate and concrete curing, when casting your foundation slab. To fit the elevated steel frame, consult a structural engineer on the correct foundation type and steel member sizes to use. For more information, you are encouraged to go through our previous presentation on The Top 5 Foundation Types used in Shipping Container Homes and Buildings to understand more on foundation design.
This two bedroom house is fitted with a 3 meter wide full height folding glass door to provide access to the deck and also provide adequate daylighting to kill the claustrophobic feel of living in a container. The bathroom is fitted with its own window to ventilate and daylight the space. The interior of the house is lined with an appropriate insulation material depending on the local climate. Without insulation, the house would be like an oven in summer and freezing in winter.
Insulation is also essential to preventing condensation, which can corrode the container and cause mould. Watch our previous presentation on 8 ways on How to insulate a shipping container house, for more understanding. To finish off the interior, the walls are lined with plasterboard painted in off-white to make the interior space look brighter and bigger. Use a DPC underlay to cover the existing plywood floor, follow by laminate timber flooring. Ensure all the electrical and plumbing works are fit out before lining the interior. Alternative interior finishes can be explored depending on the client’s preference.
Use similar materials to finish the wet areas of the house to create a harmonious space. Before the container is delivered on site, it’s advisable to have an appropriate foundation to accommodate your new build. Use a raised foundation level to elevate the containers away from moisture. The elevated position of the container also provides the height necessary to construct a deck depending on the choice of foundation used. A deck is a quick and easy way to add extra living space to the rather limited space inside a container. This design is provided with a frontal deck witch doubles up as an entrance porch and also an outdoor retreat space. The original cargo doors on one end of the container are used in an open position and fitted with a frosted glass sliding doors to create an outdoor shower.
This design series uses standardized, optimal sized windows and doors which don’t require any specialized modification to the walls of the shipping container. The basic design for TWINBOX comes with a corrugated steel container exterior. If you are using a one trip container, consider leaving the exterior as it is, with its original colour and markings to preserve its charm and history, to help on saving the cost of painting the exterior afresh. To cover off the large and bare walls on the container, a mesh wire is welded onto the exterior to accommodate vines and climbers to introduce some greenery. Alternative exterior finishes can be explored.
Our design principle as ShelterMODE Homes, we do not tamper with the roof and the floor of our shipping container modules. This design retains the original container cargo doors on the container ends to create Juliet balconies to the master bedroom and the living room to compliment the functionality of this family home. In this design, we do not have any specialized modifications save for the open plan living room. The design has used optimal sized windows and doors which require no specialized modification to the walls of the shipping container.
This home design is covered with our signature standard seam flat roof design with a frontal extension to cover entrance porch/terrace. When setting out your foundation, remember to add some extra space to accommodate the entrance porch. Other roof design that can be used on this design include: A gentle sloped corrugated roof cover, and a planted living roof cover.
What do you like about our new container cabin design? Do you have any question? Feel free to ask by posting in the comments below. For additional design details, and interior views; View a complete house tour HERE. If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.For more details on the house design, visit our website sheltermode.com. If you like this design you can buy blue prints of this design here. The blueprints come as a full set of drawings comprising of Plans, Elevations and Section Details. If you need further inspiration; check out our OTHER CONTAINER HOMES designs. You can check out the FLOOR PLANS of the house HERE:
You can watch the VIDEO of the House Below.