Treehugger: Cargotecture

Sunset Magazine always makes a splash on their Celebration Weekend with a model home; Michelle Kaufmann got her big launch when they presented her first Glidehouse there, and the first Breezehouse in 2005. They are often grand things, like Henry Siegel’s in 2006. But times being what they are, this year’s home is small, affordable, and built from a recycled shipping container.

It’s designed by Hybrid Architecture of Seattle, who have been doing shipping container architecture for years, calling it Cargotecture. and have it down to a science. They are insulated with soy foam, have bamboo flooring and a tiny boat-like bathroom. The C 192 will retail for $59,500, or $309 per square foot, which will no doubt be a cause for complaint. But as I have noted before, small houses cost more per square foot than big ones.

The architects describe the virtues of shipping container architecture:

“The utilization of off-site fabrication technology allows for evocative solutions to complex programmatic restraints. Ultimately, HyBrid is interested in maximizing efficiency, whether that be in time, money or natural resources.”

But ultimately, an eight foot box is really narrow. Blowing out the side for a big glass opening makes a big difference in the feel of it.

Thousands of people see the homes at the Sunset Celebration; it really was key to the launch of modern prefab. We will see if it also takes container architecture mainstream.

Meet the architects on Sunset Magazine.

By Lloyd Alter.

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