The days of identical cube farms and open plan offices are officially over. Modern businesses want innovative, sustainable, and original office design ideas. 

The mission: to create comfortable places to work that make the best possible use of space and materials. Shipping container offices are just one of the ways that businesses are cutting costs and emissions – while putting their unique stamp on the workplace. 

Check out our shipping container office ideas for inspiration to design your next workspace!

What is a shipping container office?

A container office is a workspace built from repurposed shipping containers. Used shipping containers are incredibly strong and durable. Plus, they’re designed for easy transport, so you can move them around and stack them together for extra space as required.

Most container office layouts are built with standard-size shipping containers, ranging from 20 to 40 feet in length. Next, they’re modified according to the container office design, with doors, windows, insulation, electrical wiring, and plumbing. 

You can even design container offices with environmental controls (such as temperature or humidity) and extra security features

Do you need planning permission for a shipping container office?

The short answer is “it varies”. It’s important to check local rules and get professional advice. Some container offices are considered temporary structures, such as construction offices on a building site. They usually don’t require planning permission.

However, if you plan to use your container office as a permanent workspace, then you’ll need to check local regulations. Some areas do require planning permission for shipping containers and might have building regulations that you need to follow.

Benefits of choosing a shipping container office

More and more businesses are choosing container office designs for their employees. That’s because container offices come with a range of benefits, from cost efficiency to futureproofing.

Cost-effectiveness

Container offices are usually much cheaper to build than conventional buildings. The upcycled container already has four walls, a floor, and a roof – it just needs a few modifications. You’ll save a lot on material, labour, and maintenance costs by choosing a container office. 

Sustainability

When you reuse a container for your office, you help the environment in two ways. First, the container itself is saved from landfill. Second, it doesn’t take much to convert the container, so you reduce the need for new construction materials. If your business is committed to reducing its carbon footprint, container offices are a great place to start. 

Mobility and flexibility

Shipping containers are built to withstand heavy weather, handling, and journeys on sea and land. That means they’re ideal for temporary and mobile offices. It’s easy to move them from place to place.

Since shipping containers are designed to stack on board container ships, they also make great modular buildings. You can stack them vertically or horizontally to increase your space, or move them around to change the container office layout when needed.

Durability and strength

Containers are made from high-quality steel. They’re strong, durable, and weather-resistant – even in extreme temperatures. They can even survive heavy winds and earthquakes! Those characteristics help to make container offices strong, secure and durable. 

Speed of construction

Container office designs can be built quite quickly. Shipping containers can be placed on minimal foundations, such as a layer of concrete or wooden beams. Then you just have to modify the container so that it’s comfortable and adapted for office use.

Design flexibility

The only standard thing about containers is their external dimensions. Everything else is customisable. You can add doors and windows; partition the interior; add insulation, wiring, or plumbing; and even connect another container alongside to expand the space. This versatile, modular design is a popular style statement for modern offices.

Versatility

Shipping container offices are an affordable, efficient solution for all kinds of environments, from urban areas to remote worksites. They can be used as offices, event spaces, pop-up shops, and even residences. Because they’re so portable and adaptable, they’re a wise investment for almost any business.

Wherever you go, whatever you’re doing, you’ll be able to take the container office with you.

Who should consider a shipping container office?

Shipping container offices are a good choice for any business that needs a functional and flexible workspace. They’re cost-effective, adaptable, and can move around with you as needed. 

Construction and engineering firms

Many construction companies use container offices for storage, break rooms, and offices on worksites. They can be transported and set up at a new site with minimal effort. Plus, they’re robust enough to survive the construction site environment.

Event organisers

If you organise events such as festivals, concerts, trade shows, or sports meets, then a container office can be extremely useful as a temporary administrative hub. Shipping containers for pop-up events are durable and mobile, so you can move them easily between events. 

Startups and small businesses

Shipping container offices are a budget-friendly option if you’re starting a new business on a budget. They can be customised to match your office needs: for example, adding extra power outlets, shelving, or sliding windows.

Real estate developers

Real estate developers often need extra office space at their sites for sales offices or marketing centres. Container offices can be moved around from site to site. Plus, they can be converted into comfortable, branded spaces to welcome buyers and support the developer’s image.

Environmental and sustainability initiatives

Shipping containers are a cost-effective way to expand your office space while reducing your carbon footprint. Recycled materials and an efficient use of space mean that the environmental impact from container offices is minimal, aligning to initiatives set by these types of organisations.

Education and training centres

Schools, universities, and professional training centres are often pushed for space. Container offices can provide valuable extra classroom space, as well as portable buildings for administrative offices or temporary event spaces. Generally, containers are relatively cheap, so you can get the benefits without blowing your budget. 

Non-governmental organisations 

NGOs that work in challenging environments need secure, durable, and mobile offices. If your organisation works in remote areas, underdeveloped areas, or disaster zones, then shipping containers are easy to install at minimal notice.

Government and military

Similarly to NGOs, government departments often need to set up offices at very short notice. Container offices are a secure, portable option for emergency response units, command centres, and disaster relief coordination. 

Healthcare providers

Shipping containers make ideal mobile clinics. Whether you’re setting up a temporary vaccination centre, taking health screenings on the road, or opening an emergency office, container offices are durable, secure, and easy to transport.

Agriculture and rural businesses

Container offices can be useful as a central hub for farms and rural businesses. They’re durable enough to be placed pretty much anywhere, and you can adapt the space as needed. Some farmers also use containers as tool storage, animal shelters, or plant nurseries.

Tech companies and innovation hubs

Tech companies that want a distinctive, modern look can opt for shipping container offices with an industrial aesthetic. Container offices are also a good choice for innovation hubs and local business centres: they’re affordable, flexible, and only need a small amount of land to place them on.

Retail and pop-up shops

Whether you’re an established retailer who wants an extra space for a special event, or an online-first seller who wants to open a physical location for a brief period of time, container offices are a budget-friendly option that you can scale up as needed.

Artists and creatives

Artists often need extra studio space – ideally with amenities like running water, natural light, and power outlets. A shipping container office can be modified to provide the space you need on a budget. 

Types of shipping container office

Container offices are extremely versatile, so you can pretty much invent your own ideal design. To get you started, here are some of the most common container office layouts and design ideas.

Single-unit office

The simplest option is a single shipping container, in a standard size such as 20ft or 40ft long. It’s ideal for small businesses and temporary offices that need a compact space. You can add basic amenities such as furniture, insulation, and electricity for comfort.

Multi-container office

If you want more space, you can place containers side-by-side for a multi-container office layout. Modular offices are especially useful if you want to add a dedicated meeting space or private offices and interview rooms.

Stacked container office

You can increase your square footage without taking up more land by stacking shipping containers on top of each other. Stacked container offices are popular in urban areas, but they can be a distinctively stylish choice anywhere. You can even add stairs, elevators, balconies, or rooftop access.

Pop-up office

Pop-up offices are essentially the same as single-container offices. However, they’re modified for fast and minimal set-up. You can take a pop-up office to a temporary event, trade show, or worksite and have it up and running within the day.

Hybrid office

In a hybrid container office design, you supplement the shipping container with traditional construction materials and finishes. This can create a truly distinctive, high-end look. It also gives you more options, since with added construction materials, you can build a larger and more elaborate shipping container extension.

Custom-built modular container office

There are plenty of standard office container conversions on the market. But if you want something truly unique, you can work with a conversion company to create a fully custom office space. Custom-built container offices use shipping containers as their basic building blocks, but you can add anything from advanced climate control systems, to luxury finishes and architectural elements.

Green container office

Container offices already have pretty strong environmental credentials. You can take yours to the next level by including renewable energy sources such as solar panels, covering the container with a green roof, or adding a rainwater harvesting system. The single biggest step you can take is insulating the container thoroughly so that it needs minimal heating.

Mobile container office

If you plan to move your container office very frequently, then it can be worth mounting the container on a trailer or fitting it with wheels. Medical clinics, disaster relief organisations, and military groups often choose this option. 

Luxury container office

Although shipping container offices are budget-friendly, they don’t have to look cheap. You can upgrade yours with high-quality interiors, custom furniture, built-in appliances, and amenities such as a kitchen or lounge area. Luxury container offices are a good choice for executive offices or as a temporary base to welcome clients. 

Designing and customising your shipping container office

By now, you should be overflowing with shipping container office design ideas! But bringing your dream to life will involve some practical steps as well.

Start by thinking about the container office layout and how you plan to use it. For example, you might need more than one container to host a large office team, or extra windows for ventilation in a workshop space. Your design will also be affected by where you plan to place the container.

Your container will have to be modified with doors, windows, and insulation to make it a comfortable place to work throughout the year. At this point, you can also add amenities such as lighting, electrical wiring, partitions, plumbing, and internet connectivity. Businesses with a focus on sustainability could add solar panels, a green roof, or energy-efficient appliances. 

Your container office also needs to be safe and compliant. You can take care of some of this yourself, by installing fire safety measures, robust locks, and security systems. You’ll also need to look into local regulations to make sure that your container office is permitted and up to code.

Finally, you can make the container office your own with your choice of furniture and fixtures. Make it functional and attractive!

The bottom line

Shipping container offices are versatile, portable, durable, and cost-effective. You can customise the design for almost any use, from multi-storey business offices to mobile clinics that can survive natural disasters. 

Get in touch to view our ready-made container offices or design your own.