From Mild to Magnificent: Examining a Shipping Container Conversion

The dictionary defines the word conversion as “the process of changing something from one form to another”. This is the very explanation of how shipping containers have evolved. They first were adopted internationally for use by countries across the world as a simple solution to transport goods. They were created to be uniform in dimension, structurally sound for the expeditions, and durable enough to contain just about anything from fruit to Fiats. So, really anything that the container is used for besides that purpose is defined as a conversion from the original state. Even now, as many containers are leased around the country to be used as storage and temporary moving containers, they are already converted. Some of them are more converted than others, and here’s just a few of the minor and major changes made to containers, and how they’ve evolved.

Beginning To Convert It wasn’t even an intention that caused the first conversion, but more like a necessity. Going back to the 1970’s, shipping containers were used as a temporary lodging and offices on the dockyards. They were handy, easily found, and weren’t too hard to convert with a chair, a desk, and a few lights inside. It wasn’t as if these early conversions were meant to change the way people think about shipping containers. That would come later. A few decades later, in fact, it was an intentional move to create a shipping container conversion that housed people. Now, these containers were being fitted with more than desks and chairs. They contained beds, walls, insulation, windows, rooms, and furniture. They were converted to actual homes. It was maybe only seen in magazines or in ultra-rich neighbourhoods, but these conversions were much more dramatic and purposeful. They were just not popular, yet.

Public Acceptance of the Shipping Container Conversion As the public mood shifted towards more green and eco-friendly buildings, the shipping container suddenly was in the spotlight. It was the solution that people had envisioned for their new homes and offices. It was a revolution designed to push into the forefront shipping containers as viable houses, offices, studios, granny flats, and even houseboats. The conversions just got more dramatic as people stacked them together to form large student housing or apartment complexes. This container became a distant relative from where it first came from.

Future Usage of the Container It’s tough to predict just what the future of containers will look like. In some circles, there is a shipping container conversion that acts as a mobile garden that can be moved anywhere. Other conversions include mobile classrooms or even swimming pools. As a former storage container for goods, it’s come a long way. These new concepts are certainly new and exciting, and they promise that the future will hold even more revolutionary ideas to come.