Would You Dig Stacked Living?
By Christa Terry
Because some students in Le Havre, France are living the stacked life in sweet housing designed by Cattani Architects. Named Cité a Docks, it is made up of 100 dorm suites created using old shipping containers. Each studio has a bed and study area, bathroom, kitchen, and free Wifi.
The architect Cattani said of the thoughts that accompanied her work: “How do I prevent students, prospective tenants, they feel put in the box? Compelling needs have arisen. Necessary to conceive of a lightweight, transparent, and certainly not solid. Hence the idea of independent living, to avoid the stacking effect.”

Stacked shipping containers translate into furnished dorm suits that are about 24 square square meters, and every unit has a large glass wall that lets in a lot of natural light (not to mention a water view). The first floor is raised off the ground, allowing for both privacy and bike storage, and to minimize the boxed feeling one might get, the shipping containers are staggered and separated from one another by sound-proofing of rubber and concrete.

I love the idea of shipping containers as student housing – I mean, these units are a lot bigger than the dorm rooms I had back in the day, and add to that the luxury of a kitchen, a private bath, a balcony, and a great view? I’m sold!
Images via Cattini Architects
December 22nd, 2010 at 12:06 pm
I like those! I could live in one, if I were alone–and if there were a larger socializing space shared among the units. A big living room somewhere that larger groups could hang out in.
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:26 am
Fantastic looking student accommodation project !
My only criticism is that they are brand new containers direct from the factory in China ,it would be better if the Architect could have used second hand containers at the end of their useful life.
The spirit of container based architecture is recycle and reuse not ordering up new containers
December 29th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Recycling should be at the heart of every construction project, as far as I’m concerned. The only problem that I’ve heard of with re-use of old shipping containers is that they’re often used until they’re absolutely no longer good for much.