1.

looks great! i wonder how well (or not) the containers insulate and soundproof, though...

2.

BULL! - my best friends are neighbors of this thing and this peice of crap is far from being occupied. it looks like the owners ran out of money and donations, and the finishes are far from luxurious. his project has taken 2 years to build and it looks like everyone is cutting an running to get this crap pile off their books

3.

I saw the owners pottering around in their kitchen yesterday. They are moving in right now. doggedinla is full of BS.
Hey doggedinla if you think this house is a piece of crap and your friends are neighbors then what kind of faux TuscanTacoBell house do your friends live in?
Please upload pics.

4.

Neat! I work in the freight forwarding business and I never would've imagined someone using cans like that!

5.

Only in L.A. can someone turn $15k worth of shipping containers into a million bucks (I'm guessing) worth of housing.

God bless the free market.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea, I just think that given the inherent cheapness of shipping containers, you ought to be able to fab up a kick-ass house for less than $200k.

Maybe this is the affordable housing solution.

6.

If I'm not mistaken, the neighbors in Santa Monica wanted to run Frank Gehry and his "house" out of town back in the late '70's.

Lighten' up doggedinla, your shorts are too tight!

"...faux Tuscan TacoBell..." I'm still on the floor laughing...and waiting to see those pictures posted.

Oh, and about the house... love it or hate it, new technology like this prompts dialogue about recycling, alternatives to the status quo, affordability of construction, and esthetics. Non-Architects/neighbors are discussing progressive ideas regarding "what should a residence be?" That, in and of itself, makes me want to support this project. It looks like a serious piece of Architecture, not some whimsical stuff you would find on Melrose Ave. The jury is still out and only time will tell. Apparantly other folks/clients believe in what the Architect is doing. Where is the ground breaking???

I assume that the Redondo project had some headaches when it came to timing and inspections, maybe more than a typical wood structure, but anything that is forward thinking is always scrutinized to the max. I've lived through a remodel and the building dept. is very demanding. In reality, Doggedinla (who sounds like he is frothing at the mouth) represents a percentage of the public out there who complain about things that are simply "different".

No one likes new construction sites next to their property but when its completed, they all love the increased value that it brings to their neighborhood. In the USA, folks are resistant to change... until they see the financial benefits. At that point, all of the criticized, battered and "crazy" ideas are referred to as "innovation" that changes the way we live.

If this doesn't convince you, go to Wikipedia.org and look up Prius. Adios!

7.

John (post #5) - most homes in LA cost between $200 and $500K to construct - it's the land that costs a sh**load!

8.

hey #3,
were the ownwners wearing anything when pottering around the kitchen? did they do it?

9.

Don't forget about Jennifer Siegal's (OMD) use of container's several years ago in Downtown LA at The Brewery. She is a pioneer in experimental design and this is an amaizng use of recycled materials.

http://www.designmobile.com/seatrain.html

10.

FWIW, corrugated metal siding is so common for churches in the Midwest and South that building a church out of used cargo containers really isn't that big of a deal.

11.

Hi, I am from South Carolina and I am extremely interested in this wonderful new idea for recycling shipping containers. Does anyone have any insight as to how to obtain said containers?

12.

Ellison - see this link, http://la.curbed.com/archives/2007/05/more_container.php. It's another curbed link on containers and they give you some links as to suppliers.

Good luck!

13.

Gimme a break!!! Do you really believe that people in South Carolina, and the rest of the US, are ready for this. Just because a few nutty birds out in LA have decided to live in metal cans, does that mean the rest of the US is going to follow suit? Cargo containers are for shipping sneakers and pineapples, not housing people! Let me know when this fad has passed over and I'll purchase all the failed containers for scrap. They look best in junkyards with rabid dogs chained to them. Good night!

14.

Gimme, with the current glut of containers piling up in U.S. ports due to NAFTA, and the razing of our forests for lumber, you should be more open to the "nutty" ideas like this. Container living is an environmental solution to a very real problem -- and it didn't originally come from LA, people have been living in container housing in Africa for decades. Modernism is about looking beyond tired traditional building techniques that are a drain on resources and materials. Good morning!

15.

Agreed FB. I have read numerous stories about the life of a container. They start out as scrap metal, the Chinese and other countries buy the scrap metal, make the containers at a low cost fill them with items and ship them all over the world. The US is one of largest importers and as a result of that, we see many containers sitting in our deserts. We have several hundred thousands in the desert just sitting there, because it is cheaper to make a new container then to ship back an empty one. Because the US imports more than we export, we have a new valuable building material. As energy costs continue to rise along with material cost, we are going to see more and more well designed homes using these containers.

16.

I've spent a fair amount of time working in and around shipping containers, and I can tell you, they're not practical for housing, as they're noise boxes and only 7.5' wide. As housing elements, they're largely novelty/architectural effects for custom houses, which is fine, but they're certainly not something you would want to build your home out of.

In much of the US commercial buildings are made of pre-fabricated metal, including corrugated metal like in a shipping container. It's just all facaded over with fake brick or stucco or whatever. I've got an Uncle in Missouri who's company builds churches and shopping centers and they're almost all pre-fabricated metal buildings.

17.

Marshall - try telling that to owners in Redondo Beach. I've heard that they are thrilled with the house. It took a little bit longer to complete than they had wished but the end results have exceeded their expectations. No complaints from anyone about noise.

18.

How much is this house worth in the real estate market? Is it worth more or less because it is made from containers? My guess is that it is worth far more than the traditional "mediterranean monsters". Appraisers look almost entirely at square footage, bedrooms and baths; a view always adds to the value. I've got to believe that in Southern California this house is worth some big dollars. I don't know how you place a value on the design/innovation part of the home but somebody must have some idea about it. Great post LA.CURBED.COM!!!

19.

Love it! Does any one know the how to's of building these container homes. I'm ready to start my building plans today.

20.

Basically you go out and buy a set of LEGO's, come up with a design, then go to Home Depot; they've got cutting torches and welding machines. You can even pickup those do it yourself wiring, plumbing, and air conditioning books to help you along as well... All kidding aside, it doesn't seem like too many people know how to do this legally other than the DeMaria Architecture firm. Try there and if that doesn't work... then head straight to Home Depot.

21.

I would have thought there would have been MORE utilisation of the cargo containers. The part of the building in the left of the photo looks "stick built" only. From the photo, it looks like only 2 containers were used. Interesting design, though.

22.

I drove by after I saw the photo above. There are at least eight (yes eight!) containers in this project that I could see. The back of the house is visible from the street behind the property and the back is cooler than the front. There's a wall of glass that opens up and it is unreal. I'm hoping they'll have a neighborhood tour or something so I can get inside.

23.

The thing I don't is way they had to ship the frickin' containers from FLORIDA!
Where's the eco-friendly aspect of burning all that
shipping fuel? Like the port of LA doesn't have 6 containers they want to unload.

24.

I certainly have nothing against anyone who wants to live in a container, but they're not very wide; narrower than a single-wide mobile home. And if you start altering them to eliminate this character, what's the point in using them? It doesn't look like they saved any money on the roof or the foundation, and a lot of the place looks stick-built. Neat looking, sure; but practical? Not really. Gehry's place was much better.

25.

At this website there is a great press video from MSNBC.

http://globalpeacecontainer.com/

This website is great for pricing houses.

zillow.com

26.

I strongly support the idea of moving away from killing our trees and trying to keep humanity alive and a few more hundred years. By us recyling the containers and at the same time keeping energy cost down. As a contractor I will continue to do more research on the project and hope that some day we will be able to have less energy cost and insurance minimal.

27.

The cargo containers are used for structure and hallways, while the stick part of a house relies on the cargo structure. Rooms can definately be much larger then the width of a cargo container. This is a brilliant idea. I have a beautifull scale model that I am working on. I wish I could find out the bad news on this project so I can avoid them in mine. I am going to do it in Mexico with intent to make it energy, time, and cost minimal. Sustainablity is also a huge priority. I am so excited about doing this. If you think these homes are crap then you can judge it when you see my house in a magazine! If you wish to give advice regarding this matter please contact me marco_cordon@hotmail.com

28.

anyone out there interested in setting up a manufacturing plant for prefab container homes in the south-western az? Please contact Tinbender2002@hotmail.com

29.

wilcoxfood - "anyone out there interested in setting up a manufacturing plant": No need as the shipping companies--Lloyds, Sealand, Maersk, COSTCO, K-Line, Hanjin, etc.--have them built for their fleets to ISO transporation standards (rail/truck/ship) paid for through transportation leases of the importer/exporter. As stated by others due to trade imbalances with China, Europe and the Americas have a surplus of these used crates.

30.

For clarification, while there are excess containers in the industry, availability is not due to the trade imbalance in the US. Shipping lines build (or have built for them)containers that they then own. It would be extremely expensive and impractical to simply sell them off in the US. In fact, my job with Maersk Inc, is to plan these containers on ships returning to the Far East and Europe. Shipping lines sell off old, rusted or badly damaged units and give back to leasing companies any short term leased boxes to reduce their fleets. I would bet the ones used in this design were new, not recycled. Still, a great idea if you like modern design.

31.

CJS - I've been following this project since it started. You are absolutely clueless but this is an open forum so I guess we all have to deal with it. I've been to the house and the containers are all recycled. The whole idea was to reutilize a container, not buy a new one. Glad to hear you have a job, but I don't think your firing on all cylinders.

32.

Busta -
My comments are entirely correct regarding the shipping industry and the handling of fleet containers. I was simply replying to bwildasi who was a bit off the mark on that topic.
As I have never proclaimed to have any knowledge of this or any other project of it's kind, not sure where your rude comments come from. Have a nice life.

33.

It is a brilliant application of local found materials. Essentially you are working with modular steel frames 8'x8'x40' or 8'x'9'x40. From that point on they are building blocks from which you trim away the walls. Bauhaus in a box. It reminds me of Glenn Murcutt's work. Fabulous!

34.

Cris' "Bauhous in a box" is highly unlikely as I've talked to about a dozen local SE engineers in California and they are completely clueless about reusing old containers since only a couple of patents and basic manufacturer specifications are available without any pictures or engineering calculations of the actual structures for fixed foundation use. Those who have bid have completely discounted the entire sturcture as unsound by using blowout buget tactics such as double reinforced 5 inch thick slabs, cross-bracing, moment frames, full parameter stem-walls, and reinforcing the underside with new "mill report" channels and I-beams. No one offered the simple stemwall with drop-on and weld to bearing plates such as done in Florida, or the cassions shown on the UK or Amsterdam projects. All these designs are heavy on modern architecture and lite on engineering for reuse as-is for permanent structures. All but one supplier does the container mods without any blueprints or city involvment. Temporary use requires no foundation as removal is required when the project ends, such as construction storage.

35.

Bwildasi - if you spent more time figuring out how to do something positive instead of bashing folks, you might just do something worth talking about.

36.

Chaka -- 'do something positive'

Unless you are actively designing, or putting blueprints out for bidding, or have open projects using used as-is containers, your comments are just that: theoretical arm-chair $0.02 opinions. As for me, my docs are in review--and hopefully stamped approval--at the building department for my city. Have a nice day.

37.

Wildasi - you and about a ten thousand others have their container projects in "plan check"... post some images of your project or drawings or models or whatever and I'll take what you say seriously

38.

Container use is effectly dead in Long Beach, if "Shipping Containers may not be used for storage in Residential, Commerical, or Industrial zones within the city". If a pilot project for detached storage doesn't fly then what do you expect planner will say about habitation use? That was the zoning letter I pick up today from the plan checker.

39.

bwildasi. I enjoy what you say and know how you feel but do not just give up.There is a hole opening up in Long Beach and if you keep on knocking I am sure you will in time get a permit. Of course it will be pure hell in the construction aspect but thats life. Remember we have had these problems before. Way back in time all the steep hillside lots were unbuildable and then one fine day the Nine Cassion System got accepted and overnight $50 lots were worth $1,000.
DeMario clever man tied everything really heavy with Stick Building, but in so doing he has eased it a bit for those of us who follow and will be more pure as we stack containers etc. etc. Way back in Case Study 21 days sometimes you had to let a pioneer take on the indians and then complete with carpet bag we slide in and did our thing. It is not only in this situation. Years ago during my mis spent youth. I had a squadron of fighter pilots who got equipped with the first jets. They all were against it cause they did not have props. Oh my god the things that were said. But I had flown a german twin jet near the end of the war so I just got in and flew it and enjoyed and when I got back bit by bit they all decided it was a hell of an aircraft .

So let it be with ISO Containers. I am going to join them and split them and weld them and in the end we will all enjoy a structure that Neutra, Schindler Frank LLoyd etc.would like and that the really great furniture of Ames et al will feel at home in.

Thanks Pat noh demario I like your house and everything else you are constructing. As for Jennifer I love her work also. Keep it up and as the coward I am, I shall be right behind you as the Indians of the Building Departments topple under your onslaught. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS COMING...

Cheers Lucius Foster Modernistic Properties.