Shipping containers: The latest trend in luxury housing

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Innovative construction firms and architects are giving new life to decommissioned shipping containers by remodelling them into stylish and unique homes.

Houses made from repurposed steel boxes have taken off in Australia, where they have been touted as an efficient alternative to traditional construction – and the gospel of shipping container homes is spreading.

From Ecuador to China, shipping container homes are popping up around the world, ranging from quirky hideaways to sprawling family homes. And there's no reason for the movement to die out anytime soon – Digital Trends reports that there are an estimated 24 million disused shipping containers ready for remodelling.

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For some, the appeal of container homes is that they are quick to erect and far cheaper than constructing a bricks-and-mortar pad. For those looking to splash out on a luxury abode, shipping container homes can also provide a unique canvas to build on.

Sydney-based Container Build Group is one of the firms that has tapped into the trend, offering a deluxe, custom-built 5,000sq ft family home called Hinterland.

The company's chief executive, Jamie Van Tongeren, says that demand for shipping container homes has been tripling annually over the past few years, partly because they are easy to change and expand according to a client's needs.

"You can build off the containers," he told the Australian Daily Telegraph. "That's how you get the big open plan spaces and high ceilings."

Projects are becoming more ambitious as more companies explore the creative potential of repurposed shipping containers, which are eco-friendly, easy to transport and ideally suited to all kinds of personal customisations.

Costa Rican architect Maria Jose Trejos built a sprawling eight-container home complete with office space, a photography studio and a stunning glass atrium for a photographer client.

Danish architects Arcgency have created everything from offices to exhibition spaces using shipping containers, while, in South Africa, they were used to construct New Jerusalem Children's Home, a vibrant new home for 80 children.