Cordell Container House

This single-story residence in Houston, Texas was built using four repurposed shipping containers. The primary space of the house is created in the center of a U-shaped arrangement of three containers, while the fourth is used as a guest room.

In the floorplan, the containers often hold smaller spaces like bathrooms and closets, or portions of rooms that push past the confines of the container walls into the larger area in the middle of the U.  The first container you see from the street holds the kitchen, with its long, horizontal window separating the countertop from the upper cabinets.

The northern side of the house is where you’ll find the office and play area. And the master bedroom, partially bounded by the end of one container, is another spot in the home that blends the outdoors with the interior thanks to a clerestory window at the foot of the bed and access to the outdoor bath connected to the main bathroom.

The home makes strategic use of open space, both in the confined area between the three containers that make up the U, as well as the open-air courtyard between the main house and guest quarters. No matter where you are in the home, you’re surrounded by a bright white pallet, the subtle warmth of wood, and tons of natural light.