When the concept of shipping container homes began, it was meant to provide more affordable housing with minimal resources. Some amazing architects and designers added a touch of royalty to the tiniest of these living spaces, increasing the existing space and motorhomes even began to add space for luxury cars. The same metal boxes were turned into bigger homes but none as classy and luxurious as the one created by James Whittaker.
London-based photographer and a visual artist by profession, James Whittaker dug out the architect within himself to create this spectacular masterpiece that arranged a bunch of shipping containers at aesthetically appeasing angles to maximize the living space while giving a unique outlook. This container home is not a “tiny home.” It spreads over 200-square meters and hosts a living room, a complete kitchen, and three ensuite bedrooms.
Whittaker created the house for a film producer client who is interested in many creative products, but he chooses to stay anonymous. The house has been named The Joshua Tree Residence, after an area in California. Whittaker talks about his motivation for the tree house:
“Earlier this year my client in LA had some friends visiting and, having a little time to spare, they all went on a road trip to visit the client’s plot of land in Joshua Tree…One of the friends said, ‘you know what would look great here?’ before opening her laptop to show everyone a picture she’d seen on the internet. The picture was of an office that I’d designed several years ago but had never been built, so the next time the client was in London he got in touch and asked to meet up.”
The design of the tree house is meant to resemble a desert cactus flower that stands in a massive 36-hectare area. The house was envisioned as a combination of the two most recent housing trends of transforming non-functional space into a luxury living space and creating mobile housing off-the-grid away from the urban hassle. Construction in all the empty space around the house will begin next year, and that could mean a huge solar panel covered garage roof for powering the house.
Housing, as we have imagined for years will not remain the same in the future. The idea of sustainable housing is changing that will place some of the best living spaces in metal boxes in deserted places.
