Home hunters in Vancouver will soon have more options available to them after a development group used recycled shipping containers to create affordable housing in the area.
The development, which is the idea of Atira Women’s Resource Center, consists of three levels with twelve units offered in a range of sizes. All meet the applicable building codes for residential structures, and even exceed the requirements for insulation and sound transference.
All of the homes come with brightly colored exteriors, and have been insulated with spray foam to provide thermal comfort. Windows have been placed strategically to allow sunlight in, while their low rent makes them very affordable.
The cost to construct each of the apartments was only $82,000, representing a significant saving on the $220,000 that it would cost to construct a similar sized dwelling from more conventional materials.
Four of the sea containers were donated, and the rest were purchased from a local broker.
The construction is part of the Alexandra Street project, which involves several other buildings, including one that provides accommodation for young women. The price tag for the entire development is $3.3 million, of which the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation contributed $2.6 million. The city allocated $92,000 to help get the initiative off the ground..
If the complex proves to be a success, there are plans to build a new, larger complex in Vancouver in the near future. The area’s printing companies are thought to be ready and waiting to help with attractive signage should this go ahead.
