Completed in March 2019, this modular home in the East Hampton town of Amagansett, Long Island encompasses a kitchen, four bedrooms and three bathrooms within 1,800 square feet of living space. Four repurposed 40-by-8 -foot shipping containers were used to construct the main part of the structure, two placed side-by-side and two more stacked on top. The inside was then carved out to create a larger interior space. The whole building was installed in two days and fully completed in two months.
New York-based architecture firm MB Architecture is responsible for the project. The proposed site was a triangular, wooded corner lot on high ground that the clients hoped to turn into a summer and year-round weekend home with a large outdoor space and enough room for a pool and a lawn. Although the building site was restrictive, its high elevation provided beautiful views and plenty of natural light.
In addition to the limited construction site, the clients were also set on sticking to a strict budget, which, after examination, proved to be much lower than the original projected costs. The shipping container method presented the perfect solution, significantly lowering the costs of construction while offering a unique design strategy. MB Architecture proposed prefabricating the building off-site and lowering the cost of transportation and materials by using the shipping containers.Â
The designers installed a wide staircase, which took up the width of a single shipping container, and extended the high living room ceiling to create a landing area that faces the backyard. Floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows were added to take advantage of the natural sunlight and provide breathtaking views of the sunset and spacious outdoor area.
An additional shipping container guest house consisting of two bedrooms was strategically placed away from the main structure to create a courtyard in between the two buildings, making the property feel larger.
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