This concept shipping container house has been designed by architect Dan Sparks. Called the G-pod, it features pop-up living spaces that are stored within the container while it’s on the move, or when you want to “lock it down”.
From G-pods website: “Humanity’s requirement for GREEN, or environmentally sustainable building solutions, is obvious and urgent. G-pod meets this need through its autonomous building system. Its shell is an up-cycled shipping container, its interior consists of recycled, sustainable and organic materials and finishes.
As Lloyd Alter of Treehugger has pointed out, saying the container has been upcycled isn’t exactly true. The long sides of the container have been removed, and the end doors are replaced. It seems that not much of the original container remains, and it would probably be more effective to construct the G-pod as a prefab unit.
The design itself takes bits and pieces from yachts, and RV’s, where pop-out living spaces (like the bedroom in the G-pod) are commonplace. The interior looks to be a fresh, modern home that takes full use of the small space available to it.
In the “hull” of the container there’s an open plan living and dining area, with a kitchen to one side. To the rear, the pop-out creates a snug bedroom and toilet. There are several models depicted on G-pods website, some include a home cinema as an extra creature comfort.
The attraction of shipping containers is usually down to the idea that turning them into a home is going to be cheap, easy and possibly mobile. The reality however is often far from it. I’ve discussed my thoughts on why, sometimes, they’re not an appropriate housing solution in a previous post.
For more shipping containers check out Casa Cubica’s transformable container home. Or, the Tin Can Cabin that’s been built by a man in Wisconsin. See all containers.
Via TreeHugger
Photos: G-Pod
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This is a very good looking set of CAD images. The use of the “pop-out” concept that is common tech in some RVs is a good solution.
Maybe I am not seeing something, but in looking at the rendering that shows the main living area and the bedroom / bath pop-out, it looks like the pop-out module would run into the living room lighted ceiling grid.
I also wonder how all of the plumbing and electrical connections required for the pop-out will actually work. Could it be that the package is intended to be shipped as a unit and the pop-outs require plumbing connections and other on-site modifications once the package is delivered to the selected home site?
The manufacturer’s web-site may be able to answer these questions.
This is by far my favorite. How much and can it be mounted to a trailer?
I agree with Lloyd, to many alternations to be considered a shipping container conversion, just another prefab costly design. And what gets me is the majority of architects cannot build what they design, looks good on cad and paper, then try building it. This design would be a nightmare to build, to many moving parts, and to build would mean in house fabrication on many parts of the build to see what will and what will not work. A true architect can build what they design before introducing it to the world.
@Chris
It is a shipping container, they go on big wheels all over the place. If you are talking about bumper pull with your pickup, not gonna happen. Might be possible with a gooseneck or 5th wheel.
@AVD It doesn’t make sense to me on a cost basis that you would do all the engineering to create a pop out for something that was not designed to be mobile. Why not ship both units separately and make the connections on site?
This seems to be an Australian enterprise. Fancy website that tells you very little. I always thought Australia had biting insects the size of helicopters, evidently just not where the designers of this fantasy live. It is a nice floor plan but I would want to know considerably more about how things will work, e.g. where do plumbing waste lines go when the pop out is popped in. I see what looks like a slot in the floor but what about the rollroll trailer underneath when it is hauled to site? Or is the whole thing jacked up on the trailer to leave room?
I have more questions: rain, wind, blowing dirt, flying insects, venomous spiders, snakes, 109 degree summers, winter? How about assorted weirdos walking in in the middle of the night? It appears to be wide open.
I can’t wait to see their yacht with the pop out.
Interesting design exercise I guess, but where is the solar? The sustainable self containment? Or is it just another fancy RV that you can’t move and cost six figures…
How much does this model cost? Would you ship to israel?
interesting but how easy is it to pack up and get the hell out of Dodge as the saying goes. Also what kind of protection is provided if any. As others have mentioned, rain, snakes, insects and critters whether 2 or 4 legged. I some of the features but I do not like the open sliding doors especially for single women or teenagers. Easy to break in. Maybe better for a place to meet but not for bedrooms but more of a gathering place to cook and be with friends and eat and read or play games and talk but I do not care for the openiness of the bedrooms. Animals and insects come looking for food.
like to know a price list and can they delete an item to bring the price down a bit..? we all want to tinker with the plan a bit…>