Spain Houzz: A Shipping Container Home Designed to Blend In
This unique, industrial-style home is partially self-sufficient and was designed to recede into the landscape over time
This unique home’s owners, a Danish couple who make jewellery, decided to move to the Barcelona area as they wanted a house near the Mediterranean that would be surrounded by nature and respectful to the environment. They chose this hill in Canyelles, a town near the coast.
The home is unusual because it’s built out of shipping containers – three 12m containers and one 6m one from the nearby Port of Barcelona. “The containers are easy to buy and cost about €1,500 [around £1,300]. The challenge, as with all container houses, is to get an efficient design that makes the most of the containers while being habitable and respecting Spanish building codes. The great advantage is that the work can be done very quickly,” says architect David Jiménez of 08023 Architects, who designed this home in collaboration with colleague Cristina Mora.
“In this case, we decided on containers after several conversations with the owners,” he continues. “They are jewellers who like to work with materials such as metal. It was also appealing to them because the house could be built quickly.”
The home is unusual because it’s built out of shipping containers – three 12m containers and one 6m one from the nearby Port of Barcelona. “The containers are easy to buy and cost about €1,500 [around £1,300]. The challenge, as with all container houses, is to get an efficient design that makes the most of the containers while being habitable and respecting Spanish building codes. The great advantage is that the work can be done very quickly,” says architect David Jiménez of 08023 Architects, who designed this home in collaboration with colleague Cristina Mora.
“In this case, we decided on containers after several conversations with the owners,” he continues. “They are jewellers who like to work with materials such as metal. It was also appealing to them because the house could be built quickly.”
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The slope of the land was a challenge. “To secure the containers, it was necessary to lay foundations,” David says. “Besides that, to level the slope we built a ventilated technical floor under the main container, which allows easy maintenance of the main systems.”
From the outside, the house is reminiscent of well-known container projects, such as the Freitag store in Zurich. In any case, the containers are not simply stacked. The ones on the bottom are anchored to the foundation, and the top layer is welded to the containers below. The joints have also been protected with expansion joints and sealed.
From the outside, the house is reminiscent of well-known container projects, such as the Freitag store in Zurich. In any case, the containers are not simply stacked. The ones on the bottom are anchored to the foundation, and the top layer is welded to the containers below. The joints have also been protected with expansion joints and sealed.
Surrounded by the containers, the terrace area is where the couple eat, rest and take dips in the pool. Used to the Danish climate, being able to enjoy a pool over several months of hot weather was essential for them.
The exterior of the containers was painted green to blend in with the wooded landscape. Eventually, the house will be completely integrated into nature, because “the containers are surrounded by various xerophilic species that do not need irrigation and which will colonise the facades over time,” David says.
It doubles as a clever solution to reduce the direct impact of the sun on the metal containers. “In addition, several layers of insulation were added internally to prevent the interior from overheating,” David says.
It doubles as a clever solution to reduce the direct impact of the sun on the metal containers. “In addition, several layers of insulation were added internally to prevent the interior from overheating,” David says.
This is the entrance to the house. The home has solar panels to produce electricity. There are also tanks to collect rainwater, which is reused for the swimming pool and watering plants. Thus, for a good part of the year – in hot months when there is enough sunlight – the house is partially self-sufficient.
“The intention is for it to depend as little as possible on external factors and produce its own resources to reduce its environmental impact,” David says.
“The intention is for it to depend as little as possible on external factors and produce its own resources to reduce its environmental impact,” David says.
Formed by two 12m containers on each side, plus the 6m container between them, the ground floor is U-shaped and encompasses a workshop, a large kitchen-living area, a guest bedroom and a bathroom.
In the third 12m container that makes up the top floor – the 6m centre container is embedded into it like a Tetris piece – is the main bedroom, which has access to another terrace on the roof of the lower container. It has railings, another bedroom and a bathroom.
In the third 12m container that makes up the top floor – the 6m centre container is embedded into it like a Tetris piece – is the main bedroom, which has access to another terrace on the roof of the lower container. It has railings, another bedroom and a bathroom.
“The owners wanted a simple, functional house that would feel spacious and be full of light,” David says. “The industrial style of the metal facades, the concrete floors and the large windows could be cold, but in reality, this is toned down by the warm sunlight and the interior itself, where textiles and wood stand out.”
The large window connects the interior of the living area with the patio. The east-west orientation of the house allows for good thermal comfort.
The large window connects the interior of the living area with the patio. The east-west orientation of the house allows for good thermal comfort.
Save for some pieces purchased at local markets, the owners brought nearly all of the furniture with them from Copenhagen.
Will they tire of so much metal? The answer is a definite no. They say that, as they often work with metal professionally, designing this house felt like designing one of their pieces of jewellery – just on a bigger scale.
Will they tire of so much metal? The answer is a definite no. They say that, as they often work with metal professionally, designing this house felt like designing one of their pieces of jewellery – just on a bigger scale.
This door leads to the entrance from the living area. The sheet metal is definitely a unique touch.
Green is the main colour in the open-plan kitchen, matched with black cabinets and a wooden worktop.
The owners say that, with the sea air and nature all around, they feel as if they’re breathing in wellbeing and happiness here. That the house is sustainable – with many recycled features and self-sufficiency built in – and requires little maintenance is an added bonus. “We must enjoy our houses, not be their slaves,” David says.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: Delhi Barsati Redux…With Shipping Container Sheets
Tell us:
What do you think of this unusual, sustainable home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: Delhi Barsati Redux…With Shipping Container Sheets
Tell us:
What do you think of this unusual, sustainable home? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A Danish couple
Location Canyelles, el Garraf, near Barcelona, Spain
Size 115 sq m inside; a 75 sq m terrace, and a 20 sq m workshop
Budget €150,000 (around £130,000)
Architects David Jiménez and Cristina Mora of 08023 Architects
Photos by 08023 Architects
The owners, who were based in Copenhagen before the move, searched online for an architecture studio that could help with the entire process. The owners say 08023 assisted them with everything from selecting the plot of land they eventually bought to initial ideas, getting permissions, design and the final build.