Upcycling Shipping Containers for Houses

Mike Blanford
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Stephen Bender
University of Florida Graduate School of Architecture and CityLab-Orlando Program

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not represent the official positions or policies of the Office of Policy Development and Research, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or the U.S. Government.

The status quo for single-family home construction has been wood frame construction, commonly called “stick framing” because of the dominant use of 2” x 4” dimensional lumber. Wood frame construction has served the home building community well; however, alternative building approaches are beginning to catch on. One alternative - shipping containers - has captured the imagination of architects and homeowners.