Shipping Container Homes in Costa Rica

Entered into: Container Housing
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Jimmy Lee's company Containerhomes.net has not been featured on the list of the best container home designs on any architecture blog. But it is an example of how cheap shipping containers can be used as building blocks to create unique and beautiful affordable housing and become a successful business investment. The company offers various size homes at relatively cheap prices to people looking for strong structures that can withstand the hurricane and earthquake common to Costa Rica. A 45 foot container home on wheels, a 40 foot container home without wheels, and a 20 foot container home without wheels are the three options offered. Each home comes built with one to two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and living room with fixtures and water and electric systems. Although these eco-friendly shipping container homes are only transportable in and around Costa Rica, the company recognizes the importance of having "established strong relations with other builders around the World who are using the shipping container as the main building block for construction." One problematic aspect of the shipping container houses is that they do not come with built in rainwater catchment system, solar panels, or a hot water pump. They are offered separately at an additional cost. Also not included in the cost but offered at a higher price is site preparation, crane costs, septic, transportation and permits.
In efforts to help the housing situation in Haiti, the company has proposed a design for an emergency shelter that does include a rainwater catchment system with tank and sixteen nylon cots at a cost of $14,000 USD. As part of their research/proposal, they discuss the importance of elevation and land positioning to place the container securely, a potential aspect of their container home architecture that could be resolved through further investigation and design. Another problematic feature not discussed is how these houses will be transported to the site and how much money and time transportation will involve.

Location

San Ramon, Alajuela
Costa Rica
 
 

Container Housing

  • Name: Container Housing
  • Host: Architecture for Humanity
  • Type: Public
  • Registration Deadline: March 1, 2010
  • Submission Deadline: March 1, 2010
  • Entry Fee: Free
  • Status:

The competition entry ID for this project is 6602.

 

Project Details

NAME: Shipping Container Homes in Costa Rica
PROJECT LEAD:
LOCATION: San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica
START DATE: February 26, 2010
CURRENT PHASE: Construction complete
COST: $7700 USD (Unspecified)
SIZE: 160 sq. ft
PROJECT TYPE: Residential – 1 BR, Residential – 2 BR
BENEFICIARIES: People in need of affordable housing in areas prone to hurricanes, tropical storms, and earthquakes
 

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