September 20, 2026

Shipping containers aren't just for moving stuff around, and architects love to use them for all kinds of interesting ideas. With their compact dimensions and ease of transport, the metal boxes are tailor made for tiny homes. Here are 10 of the best.

For this selection, we've thrown practical concerns like budget and location out of the window, focusing instead on 10 interesting designs that showcase just what you can do with the small space offered by the metal cargo boxes. Some are made from one standard container, while others use larger containers, or even combine three or more together to make the tiny house. They also feature extensive modifications to offer more headroom, width and length.

The shipping container tiny houses hail from all over the world, with most of them being located in North America.