A Self-Sufficient Off-Grid Prototype Container House

Designed by Prague based firm, Pin-Up Houses, the shipping-container house Gaia is an experimental self-sufficient housing project.  The house is designed with discarded shipping container, and the most available building materials while complementing traditional approaches to housing. The container house does not need to rely on external sources of energy or water since this house harnesses solar energy and wind energy. 

A Self-Sufficient Off-Grid Prototype Container House
A Self-Sufficient Off-Grid Prototype Container House

Equipped with solar panels and a wind turbine, the batteries can be charged at all times, regardless of the time of the day or season. Using a mobile app, the user can monitor the consumption, charging, and other factors.  The house is also equipped to retain rainwater, which is filtered and distributed to the bathroom and kitchen.  It is also equipped with refrigerator, water heater and other 12v and 24v appliances according to your needs. Higher voltages of 110V to 230V can be generated using an inverter. 

A Self-Sufficient Off-Grid Prototype Container House
The container house has smart storage spaces, a convertible sofa-bed, compact stools and tables. For added privacy and security, the outdoor terrace can easily be folded to close the container using the winch. This container house is made up of a marine HC 20‘ / 6 m container, wooden studs, and spruce plywood creating the entire interior. The inner walls are sprayed with thermal insulation, ensuring a cozy home. To protect this experimental house from the elements, the container roof is covered with a galvanized corrugated metal sheet, which cleverly extends out beyond the structure to increase the rainwater catchment area that is ultimately collected in a 1,000-IBC tank.
A Self-Sufficient Off-Grid Prototype Container House
A Self-Sufficient Off-Grid Prototype Container House
Off-grid container house Gaia is a prototype that is part of  Pin-Up Houses’ ongoing research into the feasibility of recycled environmentally friendly small houses. Find out more about their work on their website. 
Project details
Construction time: 3 months
Price of material + work: 21,000 USD
Material: 20’ HC shipping container, construction timber, spray foam insulation, corrugated metal sheets, IBC container
Team: Joshua Woodsman (Vojtěch Valda)- main architect and worker, Václav Valda- carpenter
Project Images
Project video

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