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The roof of this residence was made from scraps taken from the sides of the shipping containers. Its slanted design creates a wind tower effect that provides natural ventilation and negates the need for air-conditioning.
The roof of this residence was made from scraps taken from the sides of the shipping containers. Its slanted design creates a wind tower effect that provides natural ventilation and negates the need for air-conditioning.
Throughout the house, Robertson, Nichols, and Walker emphasized the beauty of the natural finishes and colors of the materials they chose. Robertson originally was going to paint the overhead beams but left them in their raw state to match the tiger bamboo that covers the floor. The light wall around the master bedroom, made from Enduro Systems fiberglass, is a light turquoise on the bedroom side, amber on the living room side, and glows green at night when the lights between the two layers are turned on.
Throughout the house, Robertson, Nichols, and Walker emphasized the beauty of the natural finishes and colors of the materials they chose. Robertson originally was going to paint the overhead beams but left them in their raw state to match the tiger bamboo that covers the floor. The light wall around the master bedroom, made from Enduro Systems fiberglass, is a light turquoise on the bedroom side, amber on the living room side, and glows green at night when the lights between the two layers are turned on.
Poteet replaced one wall with a large steel-and-glass lift-and-slide window wall, which he says makes the best use of indirect light. “The big sliding door and picture window make the 250-square-foot living space feel big,” says Hill.
Poteet replaced one wall with a large steel-and-glass lift-and-slide window wall, which he says makes the best use of indirect light. “The big sliding door and picture window make the 250-square-foot living space feel big,” says Hill.
Jon Ahrens of Madrone Landscaping, who layed out the plantings around the container, implemented a green roof on a drip watering system. The cantilevered overhang at rear is planted with cacti.
Jon Ahrens of Madrone Landscaping, who layed out the plantings around the container, implemented a green roof on a drip watering system. The cantilevered overhang at rear is planted with cacti.
Owner Stacey Hill was instantly drawn to this shipping container’s existing blue color and chose to leave it unchanged. Architect Jim Poteet added floor-to-ceiling sliding doors to allow light in, as well as a cantilevered overhang to shade a window on the left side, which houses a small garden storage area.
Owner Stacey Hill was instantly drawn to this shipping container’s existing blue color and chose to leave it unchanged. Architect Jim Poteet added floor-to-ceiling sliding doors to allow light in, as well as a cantilevered overhang to shade a window on the left side, which houses a small garden storage area.
Since the only spot for a sink was within the main living space, Poteet designed a wide, sculptural basin that would integrate well into the interior, and added a Zurn faucet. The small step leads right into the shower and toilet area. The artworks are by San Antonio artists John Mata, Kimberly Aubuchon, Chris Sauter and Cruz Ortiz; the X came from an old Texaco sign.
Since the only spot for a sink was within the main living space, Poteet designed a wide, sculptural basin that would integrate well into the interior, and added a Zurn faucet. The small step leads right into the shower and toilet area. The artworks are by San Antonio artists John Mata, Kimberly Aubuchon, Chris Sauter and Cruz Ortiz; the X came from an old Texaco sign.
Friends of both the resident and the architect post up on the porch. Poteet attached beams to the container and topped them with a Polygal sheet for shade. The lamps were custom made by the architect from recycled tractor parts fitted with vapor lamps.
Friends of both the resident and the architect post up on the porch. Poteet attached beams to the container and topped them with a Polygal sheet for shade. The lamps were custom made by the architect from recycled tractor parts fitted with vapor lamps.
“Stacey’s property abuts an artists’ colony, so she didn’t want the container to wall off her friends, so we used a bamboo hedge behind it as a way of protecting it from sun yet remaining welcoming to her neighbors.”
“Stacey’s property abuts an artists’ colony, so she didn’t want the container to wall off her friends, so we used a bamboo hedge behind it as a way of protecting it from sun yet remaining welcoming to her neighbors.”
Mark Fekete and Viviana de Loera of MARK+VIVI transformed a former tire shop in the Verdun borough of Montreal into a welcoming home-office, exposing beams on the ground floor and making liberal use of locally sourced Canadian plywood.
Mark Fekete and Viviana de Loera of MARK+VIVI transformed a former tire shop in the Verdun borough of Montreal into a welcoming home-office, exposing beams on the ground floor and making liberal use of locally sourced Canadian plywood.
Two linked 1,000-square-foot pavilions are greater than a sum of their parts. The simply detailed, taut, flat-roofed home’s two wings form a T-shape. One wing runs north to south, parallel to a pool, and contains the open-plan living spaces. Photo by Matthew Millman.
Two linked 1,000-square-foot pavilions are greater than a sum of their parts. The simply detailed, taut, flat-roofed home’s two wings form a T-shape. One wing runs north to south, parallel to a pool, and contains the open-plan living spaces. Photo by Matthew Millman.
In the house that Richard Williams designed for David Frum and Danielle Crittenden Frum on Lake Ontario, floor-to-ceiling windows from Oldcastle offer views through the house to the lake beyond.
In the house that Richard Williams designed for David Frum and Danielle Crittenden Frum on Lake Ontario, floor-to-ceiling windows from Oldcastle offer views through the house to the lake beyond.
A Fermob table and chairs are on the rooftop terrace. “The weather is unpredictable, to say the least. You want to be outside but you don’t want to sit in the middle of a gale,” says Duncanson. “But [at this house] you can always find a place that’s quiet.”
A Fermob table and chairs are on the rooftop terrace. “The weather is unpredictable, to say the least. You want to be outside but you don’t want to sit in the middle of a gale,” says Duncanson. “But [at this house] you can always find a place that’s quiet.”
The living room, dining area, and kitchen are connected, which helps light permeate the space. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
The living room, dining area, and kitchen are connected, which helps light permeate the space. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
In Auburn, Alabama, architect David Hill purchased a historic brick building that had served as a Baptist church, pool hall, and barbershop. When renovating the space's interior, Hill made an effort to retain its large, open spaces, and carefully restored the original metal ceiling tiles.
In Auburn, Alabama, architect David Hill purchased a historic brick building that had served as a Baptist church, pool hall, and barbershop. When renovating the space's interior, Hill made an effort to retain its large, open spaces, and carefully restored the original metal ceiling tiles.
The outdoor space located just beyond the garage door acts as an outdoor dining area. The cantilevered roof from the front of the building angles to cover this space, with recessed heaters embedded into the metal. Local artist Nate Schnell, a friend of the client, designed the mural. “Side yards tend to be leftover space, but this one had a width that presented a great opportunity to repurpose the space,” Rice says. “It makes the whole house feel so much bigger because it doesn’t just stop at that garage wall. The perception goes all the way to the property line.”
The outdoor space located just beyond the garage door acts as an outdoor dining area. The cantilevered roof from the front of the building angles to cover this space, with recessed heaters embedded into the metal. Local artist Nate Schnell, a friend of the client, designed the mural. “Side yards tend to be leftover space, but this one had a width that presented a great opportunity to repurpose the space,” Rice says. “It makes the whole house feel so much bigger because it doesn’t just stop at that garage wall. The perception goes all the way to the property line.”
The concrete wall mimics the slope of the hill outside as a reference to early Maori structures that were dug into the land. The simple kitchen has strandboard cabinetry and an MDF island that conceals a fireplace at one end. The ceramic works on the built-in seat at right are by Raewyn Atkinson and Robyn Lewis.
The concrete wall mimics the slope of the hill outside as a reference to early Maori structures that were dug into the land. The simple kitchen has strandboard cabinetry and an MDF island that conceals a fireplace at one end. The ceramic works on the built-in seat at right are by Raewyn Atkinson and Robyn Lewis.
The home's upper floor features copious amounts of untreated pine. Five large cross-braces keep the timber frame rigid. The royal blue Ikea kitchen, Noguchi Cyclone dining table for Knoll, and Karim Rashid Oh chairs for Umbra all made the trip from the mainland in a twenty-foot-long shipping container. Above the wall-mounted credenza, a colorful painting of the Puma moonrise is by local artist Arthur Johnson.
The home's upper floor features copious amounts of untreated pine. Five large cross-braces keep the timber frame rigid. The royal blue Ikea kitchen, Noguchi Cyclone dining table for Knoll, and Karim Rashid Oh chairs for Umbra all made the trip from the mainland in a twenty-foot-long shipping container. Above the wall-mounted credenza, a colorful painting of the Puma moonrise is by local artist Arthur Johnson.
A huge window next to the dining area is punctuated by a steel X form.
A huge window next to the dining area is punctuated by a steel X form.
Out back, the paved patio serves as the family's main dining room. Though occasionally snow and cold keep them inside, family dinners can often be enjoyed outdoors.
Out back, the paved patio serves as the family's main dining room. Though occasionally snow and cold keep them inside, family dinners can often be enjoyed outdoors.
In the kitchen, a custom composite dining table is paired with bright plastic Ikea chairs. Crasset’s Evolute pendant lights for Danese Milano, with origami-esque folded shades in maple veneer, hang above.
In the kitchen, a custom composite dining table is paired with bright plastic Ikea chairs. Crasset’s Evolute pendant lights for Danese Milano, with origami-esque folded shades in maple veneer, hang above.
Throughout the house, Curtiss mixed natural materials with industrial ones. Downstairs, fir and cedar wood on the doors and open-joisted ceiling balance the colder, industrial feel of the concrete floor and steel staircase railing. In the dining room, a pendant lamp from RLM Lighting hangs above a table that combines Cherner table legs with a new white laminate top. The yellow chairs are by Tolix.
Throughout the house, Curtiss mixed natural materials with industrial ones. Downstairs, fir and cedar wood on the doors and open-joisted ceiling balance the colder, industrial feel of the concrete floor and steel staircase railing. In the dining room, a pendant lamp from RLM Lighting hangs above a table that combines Cherner table legs with a new white laminate top. The yellow chairs are by Tolix.
In the farmhouse architect Lucy Marston built for her family in Suffolk, England, she balanced off-the-shelf pieces, such as a velvet-covered sofa from sofa.com, with customized key elements, like the kitchen. The refrigerator is from Fisher & Paykel, and the tiles are from Topps Tiles.
In the farmhouse architect Lucy Marston built for her family in Suffolk, England, she balanced off-the-shelf pieces, such as a velvet-covered sofa from sofa.com, with customized key elements, like the kitchen. The refrigerator is from Fisher & Paykel, and the tiles are from Topps Tiles.
Above the dining room’s Hodgson & Barker Antiques table—found on eBay—are ceramic pendant lights from Hand & Eye Studio. The architect acquired the wood chairs secondhand.
Above the dining room’s Hodgson & Barker Antiques table—found on eBay—are ceramic pendant lights from Hand & Eye Studio. The architect acquired the wood chairs secondhand.
The design team enclosed the vestibule of the front entrance to offer an area in which everyone can remove shoes and coats. The dining area boasts a handmade pendant by The Light Factory in Baltimore, Maryland. The table is from Blu Dot; the chairs are from Ikea. The flooring is natural bamboo from Dyerich.
The design team enclosed the vestibule of the front entrance to offer an area in which everyone can remove shoes and coats. The dining area boasts a handmade pendant by The Light Factory in Baltimore, Maryland. The table is from Blu Dot; the chairs are from Ikea. The flooring is natural bamboo from Dyerich.
Fed up with flashy, environmentally insensitive beach homes, architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed a humble hideaway nestled behind sand dunes along the New Zealand coastline. Crafted in the image of a modest Kiwi bach, their 1,670-square-foot retreat consists of a group of small buildings clad in black-stained pine weatherboards and fiber-cement sheets.
Fed up with flashy, environmentally insensitive beach homes, architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed a humble hideaway nestled behind sand dunes along the New Zealand coastline. Crafted in the image of a modest Kiwi bach, their 1,670-square-foot retreat consists of a group of small buildings clad in black-stained pine weatherboards and fiber-cement sheets.
Studio H:T designed this shipping container home on Nederland, Colorado.
Studio H:T designed this shipping container home on Nederland, Colorado.
The home was built by two construction workers and the couple themselves, who were familiarized with the construction process and had backgrounds in industrial engineering. “We did not have blueprints for this design, and created only a 3-D model to guile them along the way,” Saxe says.
The home was built by two construction workers and the couple themselves, who were familiarized with the construction process and had backgrounds in industrial engineering. “We did not have blueprints for this design, and created only a 3-D model to guile them along the way,” Saxe says.
Maziar Behrooz designed this container studio set amid lush trees.
Maziar Behrooz designed this container studio set amid lush trees.
The 1,668-square-foot three-bedroom home is made of four colorful, crisscrossed containers equipped with a simple ventilation system that facilitates a constant breeze.
The 1,668-square-foot three-bedroom home is made of four colorful, crisscrossed containers equipped with a simple ventilation system that facilitates a constant breeze.
This modular home prototype by Meka is a shipping container clad in cedar.
This modular home prototype by Meka is a shipping container clad in cedar.

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