Shipping containers are essentially intermodal containers, built for several means of transport. Boxcars, cargo ships, and shipyard cranes all transport boxes. They were designed for modularity and are now widespread. Many municipalities must find strategies to deal with surplus shipping containers. Shipping containers have helped artists, students, and other creative individuals across the world. What allows this? Seattle. Seattle, a major U.S. port, is packed with containers at every level. Shelterkraft uses old shipping containers that litter the skyline.

Shelterkraft turns containers into homes. Modern appliances. Their countertops are cardboard. Energy-efficient lighting. They’re eco-friendly and affordable. As containers, they’re naturally mobile. Market for container homes is small but growing. They’re mobile homes. Ideal as backyard cottages, expansions, or freestanding offices. In a city with strict building standards, what else could they want?

Berlin is comparable for various ways. It’s a student haven with a vibrant nightlife and a young populace. Most of these people are affected by the city’s aging infrastructure. Housing is generally expensive and lacks many modern conveniences. Developer Jörg Duske suggests shipping containers. A large number of containers piled, built, and fastened into a massive home.

Containers save money on new construction, but they have problems. Metal boxes imply insulation concerns. A similar project in Holland has confirmed the concept, and the technology to convert shipping containers into homes is well-known. How do you market a container home? Berlin’s cheap cost and density should make it easy.