Pocket House
Brazil
Cristina Menezes Arquitetura e Decoração
DESIGNER: Cristina Menezes Arquitetura e Decoração BUILDER: BUILD DATE: 2015
LOCATION: Brazil PHOTO CREDITS: Jomar Bragança RATING: 4 Stars
Pocket House is a compact weekend retreat built from a single 40ft shipping container by Brazilian studio Cristina Menezes Arquitetura e Decoração, led by architect Cristina Menezes from Belo Horizonte. The brief was all about showing how much you can do with a small footprint, while keeping the whole home mobile so it can be lifted onto a truck and moved to a new site.
Inside, just under 30 sqm holds a kitchen with a breakfast bar, a dining table, a living area, a bathroom and a bedroom with a small office desk, all laid out in a line along the container. One long steel side was cut away and replaced with full-height glass sliding doors, so the whole interior opens onto a generous timber deck that works as an outdoor living room and kitchen. Up top, a glass-railed roof deck adds even more space to enjoy the garden.
"How to live well in a small space." Cristina Menezes
Build Method
The only civil works on site were a simple support base for the container. Everything else was dry assembly, so the home can be transported without damaging the finishes. Furniture, fittings and frames travel separately, and the dining table and kitchen counter sit on wheels so they can roll straight out onto the deck.
Externally it is a standard 12.2m x 2.44m container. Once lined, the inside measures 11.8m x 2.34m. Glass wool insulation sits between the steel walls and the timber lining to keep it comfortable, and a thermal and acoustic paint was used on the steel. Certified ipê timber runs across the floors inside and the deck outside, giving the whole place one warm, continuous finish. LED strip lighting, glass bathroom partitions with a printed privacy film and solar panels round it out.
Interbode Thoughts
We love how much life Cristina's team has squeezed into one 40ft box. Cutting away the long side and replacing it with glass is the move that makes it work, because the deck becomes part of the house and a narrow container suddenly feels generous. It's a great example of what a single container can do as a weekend escape, and the roll-out furniture is a clever touch we'd happily borrow. If you like the idea but want a bit more room inside, have a look at our BOX model, which gives you a one bedroom home from two 20ft containers. Great job Cristina and the team!
Pocket House Designs
Build or Buy
Guides
NEST Design & Build Plans
2 BED | 1 KIT | 1 BATH - Dimensions: W x D x H
NEST is a double unit 2X 20M (40ft) High Cube Shipping container design suitable for a small house/ holiday apartment use complete with regular kitchen and bathroom in both Grid and Off Grid configurations and with 1 Solar roof option.
Download detailed plans for NEST which include the following drawings in A3:
DRAWINGS SCHEDULES
PROJECT NOTES
FLOOR PLAN
REFLECTED CEILING
ROOF PLAN
ELEVATIONS
SECTIONS
INTERNAL ELEVATIONS
TYPICAL DETAILS
KITCHEN DRAWINGS
JOINERY DRAWINGS
BATHROOM DRAWINGS
ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS
WINDOW SCHEDULES
LIGHTING PLAN
POWER & SWITCHES PLAN
ELECTRICAL SCHEMATICS
FIXTURES & FINISHES SCHEDULE
Bespoke plans or amendments are also available from Interbode’s Design Studio. Contact Us: https://www.interbode.com
Notes:
Whilst detailed, this document is not for construction and is not intended to be compliant with all council or building regulations in your country or state. Prior to commencing build you should engage a suitable architect/drafts person and a qualified engineer.
All plans are copyright of Interbode Pty Ltd and Boxwood Construction Pty Ltd.