Shipping Containers as ADUs, Studio, One Bedroom and Multi-dwelling Housing
Yesterday CBS Saturday Morning news had a report on turning shipping containers into housing and Compact Living, another company making shipping container homes, showed up in my Instagram feed.
“X-WING is made up of four containers, topped with solar panels and joined together in an “X” shape that also creates courtyards for its residents when placed beside another unit.”
CBS News Saturday Morning
The news story covered larger scale projects to use shipping containers as housing. The company, Sparkbox, is already using shipping containers to build Accessory Dwelling Units. They build three models; SB1 Studio, SB2 1 Bed 1 Bath and SB2A Accessible 1 Bed 1 Bath. They are leveraging their experience to tackle larger problems. The new project will provide multi-room housing for “unsheltered + homeless populations, transitional housing, workforce housing, hospitality, senior housing, and emergency/disaster relief housing.”
A Phoenix startup is turning shipping containers into shelters. Here’s why.
By David Schechter, Anna Grazulis
Updated on: August 16, 2025 / 12:22 PM EDT / CBS NewsTransforming shipping containers into livable shelters
Old shipping containers are plentiful in the U.S., and architect Brian Stark knows exactly what to do with them.
He began by designing buildings out of old shipping containers, which are scattered across the streetscape of Phoenix. His projects are as much about cost-saving as they are about being environmentally friendly, with the long-term goal of helping tackle America’s affordable housing crisis.
CBS News: A Phoenix startup is turning shipping containers into shelters. Here’s why.
I did a little more research on Brian Stark and his project. The shelters they talked about on the news yesterday have four shipping containers in an X. The news report says each SPARKBOX-WING has two housing units in it. The Steel+Spark website says each container can have 5 rooms. The X adds up to 20 rooms. That can accommodate up to 48 people. Solar panels on the roof provide power and air conditioning. Build time is only one week and the containers are delivered and can be installed in just one day.
The news report says Brian Stark’s next project is a “105-unit apartment complex out of shipping containers, specifically for low-income or unhoused senior citizens.”
I found this article in Phoenix Home & Garden from a few years ago,
Sustainable and Affordable: Architect Brian Stark Talks Sparkbox and the Future of Housing
The team behind some of the most unique and sustainable residences in the Valley has started a new venture creating prefabricated, off-the-grid backyard units. Sparkbox is the brainchild of architect and Local Studio head Brian Stark. Through Steel + Spark, his team is crafting studio and one-bedroom units from shipping containers. Ideal for additional space on a homeowner’s lot, these accessory dwelling units are a much-needed solution, providing more housing quickly and sustainably, Stark says. Units, which range from $80,000 to $260,000, are being fabricated and shipped in Arizona now.
You can find out more about their single unit residential container housing units and their other projects on their website, www.steelandspark.com.
Compact Living: Living Large by Building Small
The pictures that showed up on Instagram are from Compact Living: Living Large by Building Small (I like that tagline a lot.)
My Compact Home – Compact Living
USA’s Premier Luxury Container Home, Tiny Home, Park Model and Modular Mobile Office Builder.This Luxury Container Home build is in its final stage this week and looking fabulous. Our 20′, 30′ and 40′ container home models are perfect for backyard guest houses, off-the-grid cabins and full time living.
Check them out at www.compact.homes.
They build 20 and 40-foot container homes and deliver them nationwide.
They can shorten them to as little as 10 or 15 feet, if you have space limitations.
Shipping containers come in 20-foot and 40-foot lengths. They are 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet tall. Higher 9.5 feet tall containers are also available.
You can order them finished with just the basics, ready to move in.
Choose how finished you want it. Do you want a bathroom and kitchen already to go?
Or you can order it customized. Find out more at www.compact.homes.
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