Comments on: Shipping container “cargotecture” not all it’s stacked up to be!

By: Sydney

Sydney — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 19:34:47 +0000

This is really interesting. I’m a sustainability student doing a project involving cargotechture. I was thinking there were a lot of benefits to it. But, it seems like its actually very unsustainable! I will probably be doing a poster presentation in January. This has given me a lot to consider. Thank you!

By: Laurie Balbo

Laurie Balbo — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 13:12:42 +0000

Totally agree, Teri. The (very few) examples of cargotechture I’ve experienced have been ergonomically awkward and functionally inflexible.

Seems the better a building photographs, the less successful it performs as architecture. (I really AM cranky!)

Great comment on the costs related to site distance from ports.

By: Teri Stearns

Teri Stearns — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 00:01:03 +0000

I love the idea of cargotechture. There’s some neat stuff out there made out of cargo containers, it’s the ultimate in recycling materials, and it’s cheap. At least in theory. That was before I actually started half-assed researching it, and the farther away from any major shipping ports you are, the more expensive it is, since a significant chunk of your cost is acquiring the stupid container in the first place and transporting it inland. Plus, it’s bit as easy as calling up Containers R Us and having it delivered. There aren’t any major resellers for them, and each one can vary in structure material and what kind if shape it’s in. Finding an undented one or one that is in perfect condition–since not all containers make a house–is pretty hard, too. To get something delivered to Denver would range in the $2000-$3000 range, just to get it here. So until someone starts doing this on a larger scale…or manufacturing it, ironically, it’s probably not going to stack u…er, yeah. You already used that joke. You know what I mean.