Czech Republic–based designer Joshua Woodsman (aka Vojtěch Valda) recently transformed a 132-square-foot shipping container into a livable home for just over $23,000. Dubbed Gaia, the experimental dwelling took three months to complete—and it’s able to operate completely off the grid.

$3,590 HC Shipping Container	$1,260 Steel Parts & Corrugated Metal	$3,600 Timber & Plywood
$480 Solar Panels	$630 Wind Turbine	$526 Batteries
$1,453 Electronics	$205 IBC Container	$461 Refrigerator
$652 Bathroom & Kitchen Fixtures	$2,794 Aluminum Sliding Doors	$1,863 Spray Insulation
$838 Chimney & Stove	$116 Gutter & Drain	$279 Dishware & Decor
$1,385 Paint & Hardware	$232 Electrician Labor	$2,794 Carpenter Labor
Grand Total: $23,158

“Our planet is facing many new and difficult challenges. Therefore, it’s necessary to look for alternative forms of housing that will have a less negative impact on the environment,” states Joshua’s website, Pin-Up Houses. “That is why we have decided to repurpose a discarded shipping container and fit it out with accessible building materials and the latest technology to design a unique, independent housing unit.”

Solar panels and a wind turbine generate electricity for the battery-powered electrical system, which runs the lights, refrigerator, boiler, and water pump. The galvanized steel roof collects rainwater and funnels it into an IBC water tank, where it is filtered, heated, and distributed to the kitchenette and bathroom. A small wood stove keeps the space warm on chilly evenings, and the inner walls are sprayed with thermal insulation to keep the tiny home’s temperature comfortable.

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The 20-foot marine HC container is framed with wood studs and clad in spruce plywood—and the interior walls are lined with cool cutout storage cubbies and cabinets. “I designed them after being inspired by storage spaces on ships,” Joshua says. “Special thanks to my brother, who cut all the cabinets by himself using power tools.”

It took some tinkering and time for the designer to perfect the layout of the tiny house. “I’ve been designing small spaces for years, but I found it challenging to design a foldable bed,” he says. “I started with a simple layout and continued adding more and more layers and details. It took so many hours to nail the final design.”

To make the small space work, Joshua designed it with flexibility in mind. “I imagined how I could spend days in this space. I started to think about foldable furniture and the storage wall, which are space savers,” he says. “Also, it’s necessary to think about the utility of everything you put inside—to try and make the space as open as possible, without things you don’t need to use every day.”

The pint-sized bathroom is fully equipped with a shower and sink, which use hot water from the IBC tank. And there’s a composting toilet, which can be set up to drain sewage out of the container to a sump.

The kitchenette includes a small refrigerator, a sink with hot water, a gas cooktop, and storage for small appliances, cooking gadgets, and tools. The shipping container home currently stands in Joshua’s garden in Psáry, just outside of Prague in the Czech Republic—but the designer is looking for property in the country where he hopes to move it in the future.

“The wonderful thing about container houses is that you can easily move them,” Joshua says. “It has a removable roof, the foldable terrace can be closed, and it all lays on concrete footings.”

Related Reading:

10 Shipping Container Homes You Can Buy Right Now

11 Shipping Container Home Floor Plans That Maximize Space

Project Credits:

Designer: Joshua Woodsman (Vojtěch Valda), Pin-Up Houses / @pinuphouses

Cabinetry Design/Installation: Václav Valda

Off-Grid Technology: Jakub Kobera