They’re efficient, creative, innovative, and look amazing. Cargo containers can be used for almost any purpose you can think of, from a fire station (yes, that one’s true!) to a private office or an event booth.
Plus, there’s almost no way to get more eco-friendly when you’re looking to construct something new. Cargo containers have the best of all worlds–they don’t waste scarce resources like some construction projects do (unsustainable management of forests), they’re unbelievably secure, and they have the uncanny ability to give you more space in less space–we’ll touch on that later.
Containers are the foundation of projects that everyone involved can feel good about. Keep scrolling to see fifteen stunning examples of successful cargo containers-made-other-things to inspire you!
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1. NRG – Coachella
With over 20,000 attendees flocking to Coachella yearly, power consumption is on everyone’s mind. From the power it takes to the run the sound and stages to the constant battle with keeping your phone charged–power matters. NRG needed an energy-conscious space for attendees to rest and recover, so they asked IPME to help them engineer the perfect place. -
2. Hurley U.S. Surf Open
This beautifully crafted booth at the 2015 U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach wasn’t just easy on the eyes–it served as a water-filling station where guests and attendees of the annual surfing event could help themselves to some clean, fresh water. The cargo container-made-event-booth was an integral part of Hurley’s presence at the event. It showcased the company’s worldwide campaign to get clean water to everyone! -
3. Specialized Bikes
This beautiful, bright-red container catches the eye and is incredibly functional. At two stories high, this beautiful container set itself apart from every other vendor at the Sea Otter Classic and AMGEN Tour of California in 2013. -
4. Santa Barbara Home
You’ve probably seen a few “container houses” in your Internet and TV journeys, but this beach home in Santa Barbara may just take the cake. Fabricated from two 40-foot containers, the house features double-pane sliding window screens, connections to public utilities (electricity, water, sewage), and thanks to the container’s durability–a permanent residence. -
5. Las Vegas Container Park
The Container Park is an outdoor shopping mall and entertainment venue located in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a two-year long project that was intended to help revitalize the downtown area. It includes fashion retail, a barbershop, various food and beverage spots, an observation tower, VIP area, an immersion dome, a large children’s playground area, and a built-in stage for live performances and public concerts! -
6. Jack’s Garage and Vans Skate Park
Take a look at this lighted skate park and skate shop–a set up that spans three acres! It includes bathrooms, water fountains, a snack shop, landscaped seating area, and pro-shop, utilizing used and new shipping containers for its structure. Not only is it a safer place for people to be than skating on the streets or in a parking lot, it’s incredibly functional and eco-friendly. -
7. Helix Brewing Co.
For the Helix Brewing Co. in San Diego, building their brewery out of a shipping container was the perfect plan. Guests and attendees to the brewery can look into the container through two sets of custom-made glass container doors place on the side of the container for a peek at the brewing process. -
8. Omolulu International School and Library, Anguilla
Fabricated completely in California, this school and library were constructed in less than 90 days and were a complete success! The shipping containers make the school incredibly strong–hurricane resistant and sustainable, so that it can be enjoyed for generations. These containers provide a legitimate benchmark for education facilities in hard-to-reach areas across the globe.
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9. Dell Tradeshow Booth
Dell used this heavy-duty cargo container booth at the Interop Tradeshow at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. With its beautiful interior finishes and custom-built, corrugated barn doors, the container was an unforgettable advertising platform for Dell.
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10. Opus, Great Parks Project
This project is a particularly interesting one because of its use case. This 20-foot high cube container transforms into a showroom sales space used by the Great Parks Project in Irvine, CA to sell homes in their new community. The container wall folds down, opening up to the public during the day and being closed up snugly at night. It offers the perfect amount of space, plus the ability to securely close after hours! -
11. UBER x Society6 Gallery
This highly-polished tradeshow booth for UBER and Society 6 showcased their brands aggressively and beautifully, allowing them to display artwork in what can best be described as a modular, portable art gallery. They mounted this 40-foot high cube container on a chassis and traveled throughout the bustling city of Los Angeles to amplify their mission of empowering independent operators. -
12. Moto Guzzi
As a rapidly expanding business, Moto Guzzi needed a lot more space in a little amount of time. Perfect solution? Cargo container. This expansion included a new office, warehouse, and a stunning motorcycle display case. -
13. New Era Event Booth – Sundance Film Festival
New Era caps got this amazing-looking trade show cargo container to showcase their wares at the Sundance Film Festival. It fit right in with the gorgeous backdrop of snowy Utah! -
14. Marvel Experience
One of the coolest things to ever have been built out of event containers, the Marvel Experience Traveling Booth brought awesomeness to all corners of the country. The cargo container set up housed an interactive attraction experience that included a 3D stereoscopic projection dome, a state-of-the-art motion ride, touch screens, comics, cafes, a mega store, and more! Marvel traveled through Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, and Philadelphia with this set up. -
15. Custom Man Cave, Warner Bros. Entertainment
When it comes to hanging out in style on set, look no further than this custom cargo container. A man cave designed for use by the number one star of “Two and Half Men,” this set up is up there with the best of them. It includes a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and sleeping quarters. And in the future, Warner Bros. will repurpose it for use as an incredibly comfortable and versatile office space.