Seven Surprising Uses for Shipping Containers

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Updated On: June 22, 2021

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Over the years, there have been some truly amazing uses of shipping containers outside of just the transport of goods. People are really beginning to see the potential for using containers as a building material from which a variety of things can be created. From swimming pools to art studios, the uses of containers are only limited by what you can imagine. Here are seven surprising uses of shipping containers that you might be surprised to see.

1. Swimming Pool

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How cool would it be to have a pool in the backyard and, better yet, know it’s made from a container! Unlike typical above-ground pools that are flimsy, a shipping container pool is strong, durable, and yet able to be transported (with water removed) just like regular shipping containers.  The long, skinny shape also makes them great for swimming laps.

Container pools are typically outfitted with an applied sealant or dropped-in liner in order to keep water from contacting the steel walls.  There is obviously some typical pool equipment involved likes pumps and filters, though some of this depends on the type of pool chemicals and system you want to use.

It’s also possible to partially or fully bury a container pool, although that presents some of the similar challenges to burying a container.  Some owners instead choose to provide an elevated deck around their container pool, which provides the same benefit (walking area level with the water) without the problems inherent with burying.

We have a huge guide to shipping container pools you should check out if you’re interested in this interesting application of cargo boxes.

2. Medical Compound

sudan-hospital
Source: TAMassociati

The Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery is based just outside of Khartoum, Sudan close to the Nile River. The facility has 63 patient beds and 300 local staff and is build with traditional construction.  Nearby, a housing area for international staff was made with 90 20-foot containers, and each room uses one and a half containers.  There is also a cafeteria area made with seven 40-foot containers.

Originally, the containers weren’t even part of the design, but the architects saw the empty containers that had been used to bring building materials to the construction site and felt inspired to utilize the containers as part of the facility.

3. Restaurant

wahaca mexican food

Wahaca, a Mexican restaurant based in London, has numerous locations across the city.  On in particular, based in Southbank Center, caught our eye because it was constructed with eight shipping containers.  One of the shipping containers has even been modified into a street stall so you can grab your food to go.

The restaurant, which seems to be an anglicized version of the Spanish word Oaxaca, is known for authentic Mexican flavors, and now, exceptional architecture and design.  Guests can either eat inside the shipping containers, which have huge glass windows in them providing views out onto the Thames River, or eat outside. The inside of the restaurant is decorated with recycled benches adding to the up-cycle theme.

4. Hotel

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The Container Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia makes no secret of its origins.  Shipping containers are front and center in the design of the property and are the building blocks for many of the hotel’s rooms and facilities spanning several levels and spaces.

If you’re interested in other container-based rentals, check out the Visit section of our website for hundreds of other options.

5. School

Finished Shipping Container School
Source: Montessori La Milpa

Another interesting use for a shipping container is a school. Montessori La Milpa is a school in Ensenada, Mexico on the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula.  The school is built with shipping containers for durability and ease of maintenance.  With close proximity to the ocean, the school is able to take advantage of a cool sea breeze and a mild climate.  For more information on this particular school, read our interview with the founder.

6. Art Studio

container-art-studio
Source: Andrea Shapiro Art

It’s not often that you find an art studio that is arguably as good as the art inside of it.  Andrea Shapiro had this 840 square foot art studio built adjacent to her home in Amagansett, New York, as a way to both create and display her work.

The space is two-story and makes use of two 40-foot high cube shipping containers set on top of a concrete stem wall that forms a partially buried basement.  It was built for just under $60k and is a striking contrast to the forested grounds that surround it.

7. An Office

palotta-team-works-office
Source: Pallotta Team Works

Pallotta Team Works is an event management and production company in the Los Angeles area that helps charities with fundraising activities.  Their growth led them to expand into a large warehouse, but their budget prevented them from doing a typical office interior build-out.

Instead, they used shipping containers inside the warehouse as offices and used tents anchored between the containers to contain workspaces for the various departments.  The tents also funnel conditioned air to these workspaces, meaning that the open areas of the warehouse are not climate controlled for serious savings on their utility bills.

If you like the bold design of this container office, definitely check out our feature with tons of additional container office examples.

8. Bonus: Starbucks!

starbucks-container
Source: Starbucks

Yes, even everyone’s favorite coffee cafe has got into the shipping container game, with over 45 locations made with shipping containers! We featured one of the first Starbucks locations in a shipping container, and they have since built numerous other locations.  Perhaps there is one near you? The companies rapid adoption of shipping containers is no surprise, as they allow for quick construction and a small footprint on building sites that may otherwise be too constrained for a traditional building.

We hope you’ve been surprised by some of these fantastic uses of shipping containers and can take some inspiration from them!

If you’ve seen any other great uses of shipping containers, be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

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Check out more great articles:

Creative Shipping Container Cabins

You’ve seen countless examples of shipping container homes and projects throughout our website. And even within the category of homes, there are quite a few

14 Responses

    1. Feel free to reach out via the Contact page if you have a specific question. Our services are providing information and resources to people interested in container construction, including our paid products via our Store page, and our email newsletter with thousands of subscribers. However, we don’t build or sell container homes.

  1. Outstanding site Tom. I am currently thinking of buying 12 and 1/2 acres on the outskirts of Colden, New York. Southern most part of Erie County in Western New York. The temperatures range from the eighties-nineties in the summer to 0-30 in the winter. Obviously the outside would have to be clad. I’m thinking of buying a forty foot and a twenty foot container and joining them to make a two bedroom get-away. Price not being a factor what kind of insulation would you use between the cladding and the container? And would you also insulate the inside as well?

    Thanks,

    Bernie

    1. With price not being a factor, we would spray foam both internally and externally using a closed cell foam.

  2. My dad has been lobbying for container re-use since his retirement from customs in the 1980s. One of the uses we brainstormed is a 20′ combination HVAC center and tornado shelter. The container would be divided into a utilities portion and a shelter portion, before delivery to a site. It would then be anchored centrally and the house would be assembled in connection. Access would be at a moment’s notice.

  3. I see that shipping containers can be used for pools! Wow!

    I might be moving to upstate NY near a lake, where there is lots of snow and rain. What about wear and tear on the container? Will it have to be replaced at some point?

    Thanks,
    Jeannie

    1. Hi Jeannie,

      Yes- they can be used for pretty much anything these days!

      Containers are designed to survive brutal ocean voyages and are quite resilient. But they do require maintenance as the elements will eventually start to wear away at the exterior paint coating. As long as you keep them well-maintained (like you’d have to do with any other house), they are very durable. Another option is placing exterior cladding on them, which disguises the fact that they are containers, offers you the ability to insulate on the exterior, and keeps the corrugated metal siding away from the elements.

  4. AWESOME!! I am looking to do a container pool that either will be double the width (2 containers somehow) or have 2 containers stacked and have the top container with the pool and then have a cantilever shade over it.

  5. Thank you for sharing. I was amazed on the pool. Never thought it could be possible. I was wondering can it be used as a koi fish with lotus flowers pond. My understanding digging any grounds more than three feet needs permit. Do I use the pool permit or something else?

    1. Hi DongDao,

      I’m glad you liked the pool!

      That sounds like a great idea- it depends where you live, each area has their own building code so you’d need to speak with your local planning department.

      Let us know how you get on.

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