| Believe it or not there is a group of | | | | foundation.Although his Push-Button house is |
| architects that have developed some very | | | | only an experimental project, Mr. Kalkin has |
| stylish residences out of the humble shipping | | | | built houses that he intends to make |
| container. Not only residences, there have | | | | available to the public, like his Quik House. |
| also been hundreds of metal shipping | | | | He currently has orders for ten. These modern |
| containers used for museums, restaurants and | | | | prefab houses are made from five shipping |
| weekend houses. You would not even realize | | | | containers and are then loaded on a truck and |
| that these beautiful and creative structures | | | | delivered to the buyer. It takes less than a |
| were once hauling supplies across the | | | | week to reassemble them on location. The Quik |
| country.The shipping containers are stacked, | | | | House sells for between 150 to 175 thousand |
| painted and customized to form the outer | | | | dollars, depending on the distance to deliver |
| structure of the houses. Glass ceilings, | | | | the house and the options that the client |
| walls and windows add light and give the | | | | chooses. There are many different options, |
| structures a very bright and airy look.The | | | | including mahogany sliding doors and a full |
| Shelburne Museum, located in Vermont, | | | | stainless steel kitchen.In addition to this |
| features a Collectors House designed by | | | | deluxe version of a prefab home Mr. Kalkin is |
| interior designer Albert Hadley and architect | | | | also planning on selling a single shipping |
| Adam Kalkin. It was created by using 3 | | | | container living space called an A-Pod. This |
| overseas shipping crates that make a very | | | | will be equivalent to a studio apartment, and |
| striking house. The building features glass | | | | will sell for under $100,000.00.Humanitarian |
| garage doors, a large patio area, living | | | | issuesMost architects have noted that the |
| space, bedrooms and a full sized kitchen.Adam | | | | prefab shipping container habitat is ideal |
| Kalkin has designed houses out of shipping | | | | for setting up in emergency situations and |
| containers before, but his last one is | | | | for humanitarian needs. These very |
| actually a luxury dwelling for the rich. He | | | | structurally sound and durable homes can be |
| unveiled his creation at the Art Basel Miami | | | | moved easily on the back of trucks and can be |
| Beach art show in December 2005 and the | | | | loaded and unloaded numerous times with no |
| attendants were surprised to see lavish | | | | damage or need for repairs. They can be moved |
| furnishings and a beautifully designed | | | | virtually anywhere there is a road and it is |
| interior inside a shipping container. The | | | | easy to hook up plumbing and electrical |
| project has the interesting title of | | | | connections to the outside of the shipping |
| "Push-Button House" because it can be loaded | | | | container.They are very dry, leak resistant |
| in the back of a truck to be moved and it | | | | and easy to care for. They can be insulated |
| opens up like a Murphy bed to expose the | | | | to keep out the cold and, despite being |
| interior.Jennifer Seigal is another architect | | | | metal, are reported to be easy to cool even |
| that uses shipping containers to create | | | | in hot climates. The shipping container homes |
| beautiful living spaces. One example is the | | | | are virtually fire resistant and can be |
| Seatrain house she built for real estate | | | | easily cleaned or painted if necessary.While |
| developer Richard Carlson, equipped with all | | | | a shipping container home may not have been |
| utilities and featuring an indoor fountain. | | | | an option you had previously considered, it |
| She indicates that these houses are much less | | | | might be something to ponder in the future. |
| costly to build than the traditional ones, | | | | The sky is the limit to using your |
| and that they are very modern looking and can | | | | imagination in designing your very own low |
| be customized to the individual needs of the | | | | cost prefab home.Cornelia Myers believes that |
| buyer.While the use of shipping containers | | | | shipping containers can make viable and |
| for shelter is not new, the thought of making | | | | comfortable houses. Visit to find out how to |
| architectural statements and unique creations | | | | build a house from shipping containers and |
| is. Architects strive to create a feeling of | | | | how much it costs and to learn more about the |
| openness, light and beauty using the prefab | | | | companies that provide design services for |
| shipping containers as the | | | | shipping container housing. |