Home sweet, Shipping container...

A British architect, Eric Reynolds, of Urban Space Management, has been experimenting with innovative ways of producing energy-efficient and cheap homes + offices, and has settled on converting old shipping containers.

These containers are usually used to transport goods, but can be converted into habitable space with suitable windows, doors, insulation + decoration. Then, by fitting containers together in a variety of ways, buildings of almost any size can be created...

In London, builders usually charge about £120 a square foot ($200) to build a conventional house, whereas high quality space can be built from converted containers for as little as £40 ($70).

As there are millions of old containers, and we currently have a severe shortage of low-cost housing in the UK, this solution appears to have massive potential. Especially, as containers can be transported, very easily, to almost anywhere in the world.

Follow this link to see some pictures of how containers are being used to provide artists with studio space and to help regenerate a run-down area of London.