The fi rst two-storey shipping container home in the US was designed by Southern California architect Peter DeMaria, in 2006 and subsequently recognised as an approved structural system, under the strict guidelines of the nationally-recognised uniform building code (UBC). The concept of shipping container architecture may be defi ned as 'a form of architecture, utilising steel shipping containers as structural element, because of their inherent strength, wide availability and relatively low cost.'

Shipping containers are an ideal construction material, as they are designed to carry heavy loads and resist harsh environments. They are made to the same standard measurements (a 40-ft container is 40 feet long, 8 feet wide, 8 feet 6 inches tall, and so provides 320 square feet of fl oor space) and as such, they provide modular elements that can be combined into larger structures. This simplifi es design, planning and transport. Used shipping containers are easily available across the globe, as shipping back used containers to their places of origin is a cumbersome and expensive affair (in 2007 some 7 million containers arrived in the US, but only 4 million were needed to ship American exports!). Construction involves little labour and used shipping containers, requiring only simple modifi cation, can be purchased from major transportation companies for $900 for an older one, $2,500 for one that is essentially new.