Bergheim Container Lofts

Containers are often a great answer when you have an incredible location but difficult terrain. Bergheim Container Lofts is exactly this type of place. Set in the mountains of central Germany near the border wit Czech Republic, these three shipping container homes are perched high up on a mountain near a ski resort.

The German words ‘Berg’ and ‘Heim’ translate to ‘Mountain’ and ‘Home’, and it’s hard to image a mountain home more fitting of this name. The pictures of these container cabins really do most of the talking, it’s a simply stunning location.

And being in the mountains doesn’t mean it’s in the middle of nowhere. These beautiful container homes are just outside Schöneck, a quaint town of about 3000 people perched about 2300 feet up in the Ore Mountains. But it’s also the location of Skiwelt Schöneck, a beautiful ski resort. Yes, these container homes are literally on the ski resort, you can see the chain lift right outside the windows.

As mentioned, there are actually three container homes at the site. The ‘Flow’ and ‘Flat’ units are both 20 foot open-sided containers, while the ‘Drop’ is a 40 foot container placed on top of, and perpendicular to, the ‘Flat’ unit. While there is a consistent design theme, each unit has it’s own unique look.

The Flow and the Flat are most similar given there basis on the same type of container. We don’t see them used as much do to their usually high cost, but these open-sided containers do provide a lot of flexibility. One of the long 20-foot side of the empty container can be completed opened up, allowing for a wall of windows. However, unlike with other containers, you don’t need to make large cuts in the container to add these windows, and the folding walls are always there if you ever need to place them back for transport or security reasons.

Both of these units have the bed (or beds) placed on one end of the container, a small sitting area and kitchenette toward the middle, and a bathroom on the other end. And with the wall of windows, essentially any point of the small unit is a prime location to view the mountainside. But in both cases, you can step right outside the glass doors to a open patio.

With the Drop unit, things are a bit different. It is elevated on top of the Flat, and pointed down the mountain instead of across it. While it has a large window on the cantilevered end of the container, the remaining windows on the sides are a bit smaller.

Stepping inside from the elevated patio, you see the bathroom and small kitchen, then the long hallway of clever built-in bunk beds. Finally at the end of the container adjacent to the large window is the sitting and dining area.