The ‘Habitat House’ is 2 shipping containers, whose long sides face each other, separated by a distance of about 16 feet. The void between them is bridged with aluminum storefront extrusions that can be infilled with glazing or panels and, of course, doors. The ensuing domicle rests on an elevated wooden deck, with a flat wooden roof with wide overhangs creating covered patio space on all 4 sides. ( see: http://www.secca.org/homehouse/winners.html , it’s the 1st dessign PDF listed) (A ‘Cold Weather’ version might have a sandwich of 1″ styrofoam board covered with treated exterior plywood, cement board, or gavalume… while the interior wall surfaces were clad with the same 1″ styrofoam insulation, or 703 fiberglass board, covered with sheetrock)

Used shipping containers can be purchased for $1,500 – $2,500.. or less. So getting 2 of them delivered to the work site would not be very expensive. The rest of the materials are not very expensive either. This project could be a self-build… or contractor built affair. Translation: inexpensive. It might only cost $30,000, or less. AND, because it does not resemble a ‘Mobile Home’ like some neighborhoods might perceive the Cristopher Deam Breckenridge Trailer Home Design as doing… you could build, or have this design built in a variety of neighborhoods.

Voila ! The inexpensive design Icon of the arly 21st century has arrived. The University of New Mexico, School of Architecture and Planning Staff & Students, who created this desig,n deserve accolades. They’ve created a flexible, GREEN design that can be done cheaply, or finished off in high style, and high cost. It’s truly amazing. (it’s green because it reuses shipping containers)

Why don’t you do an Inhabitat posting about them ? They richly deserve it.

Happy building…

Richie K