Shipping Container Tiny Houses Make For a More Humane Homeless Shelter

I am really inspired by the affordable housing projects which I have seen from Tempohousing, a firm that uses container homes to create affordable solutions for students, refugees, and even the homeless.

What you see here is a homeless shelter in Brighton. Each of the units is a self-contained shipping container shelter measuring 40 feet.

I’m not sure how things are in Europe, but I can tell you that in America, this is not what you expect when you talk about a homeless shelter. Here, homeless shelters tend to take the form of one large, open room without obstructions. There are no walls and there is zero privacy for occupants. They come in, stay the night, and leave. Because there is no privacy or security, crime is often a problem.

These are actual individual units! Homeless people who stay in these shelters can feel safe behind a closed door, and can experience some sense of dignity and privacy with walls and a roof over their heads.

Apparently at the time that this shelter was built, projects like this were pretty much unheard of in the UK. But Tempohousing reports that there are similar developments elsewhere in Europe.

It only took eight weeks to assemble the shelter.

All of this is pretty inspiring on its own, but there’s more …

The containers were constructed in Amsterdam before they were moved to Brighton to be installed as a shelter. Tempohousing refers to the factory where they were made as a “social” factory.

What makes it a “social” factory? It fulfills a social purpose. Tempohousing explains, “unemployed youngsters were hired and received a training-on-the-job, while converting used shipping containers. So 3 advantages in one: recycled containers as a basis, new jobs to manufacture them and used to support homeless people.”

If that isn’t one of the best things I’ve read, I don’t know what is. Tiny container houses are truly making a difference around the world, as are companies like Tempohousing which specialize in their manufacturing and design. Visit Tempohousing on the web to learn more about their amazing projects.