In Kenya, the urge to build something unique has taken the country by storm. Just look at what celebrities such as Khaligraph Jones have build.
This trend is also seen in affordable building solutions using shipping containers, glass, steel, precast concrete and wood as base materials.
Every day, modern, technologically inspired buildings are cropping up in the urban, suburban, metropolitan and rural spaces.
In more ways than one, innovation and technology have contributed to the rise of modular houses, modern offices, schools and classrooms, clinics, public and private ablution spots, hotels and restaurants, entertainment spots, Airbnb Units, residential spaces and more.
Drive through the country’s major roads and you will see residential units, commercial spaces, formal establishments, institutional structures, corporate buildings and more.
It is no surprise that Kenya’s investors have embraced contemporary solutions such as shipping containers as fast, easy, and affordable options in building.
In this article, therefore, we’ve compiled a list of remarkable designs that have been built using shipping containers in Kenya.
What are some of the classy designs you can get from Kenya’s leading container fabricators?
Affordable Container Houses/ Airbnb Units
Container houses and Airbnb units go hand in hand in the sense that both provide domestic accommodation to users.
Also, these share similar specifications in design, dimensions, usage and other aspects.
In Kenya, we can no longer count the number of houses built from shipping containers, which have now risen into the thousands.
Most builders and investors are opting for container houses due the many advantages that accompany this form of building, from high affordability, short construction timelines, eco-friendliness as well as low-labor intensity.
Typically, you will find container houses come in the form of studio/bedsitter units, one-bedroom units, two-bedroom units, three-bedroom units, etcetera.
The basic designs for these houses entail the kitchen, living room, toilets, bathrooms and bedrooms.
Depending with specific client needs, special features can be added to the design to accommodate special needs.
Here, you might find houses with in-built gymnasiums, libraries, laundries and walk-in closets, verandahs and foyers, in-house offices, prayer rooms, rooftop terraces, disability fittings and pantries.
Whatever your preferences, be sure to engage your contractor in time to ensure inclusion in the final design before building begins.
Modular Container Offices
Container offices are fast and affordable, with some being completed in just 7 days!
This is one of the reasons behind their growing popularity.
Generally, container offices are built to accommodate general office functions. These include:
Management of communication: They enable effective internal and external communication.
Distribution of information: Providing room for sharing of information efficiently within and outside the organization.
Accommodation for staff and/or clients: Providing comfortable and functional workspaces.
Security for inventory and stationery: Ensuring the safety and proper storage of office supplies, equipment and materials.
Hosting spaces for meetings or even production: Offering customized areas for various office activities and events.
Re-reproduction and safeguarding of data: Providing space for secure data storage, backup, and retrieval.
In the Kenyan market, container offices can either be stand-alone or combined.
The various categories for container offices include 20ft offices, 40ft offices, open-plan offices, partitioned offices, and multi-unit offices featuring two or more containers.
These offices can also be lateral (side by side) or vertical (stacked) depending on space and client preferences.
Whatever the requirement, we can help you pick the best choice for your specific needs.
Container Clinics and Hospitals
We all recognize that healthcare provision remains a challenge in Kenya.
Privatization in the health sector has encouraged the construction of clinics and hospitals by individuals, corporates, NGOs, institutions, as well as the government departments
We consider container clinics as the best solutions for communities that struggle with access to healthcare in both urban and rural areas particularly because they are highly affordable and can be built in the remotest locations.
For example, a container clinic we built at Il-Kerin, a small, rural shopping center in Narok County, now offers healthcare services for members of the Maasai community who would otherwise have to travel over 15 kilometers for the same.
Interestingly also, container clinic building can be completed in less then a month.
Much like houses and offices, container clinics are typically made from single-units or combined units.
Single unit container clinics can be designed with wheels for movability.
In essence, using shipping containers to set up clinics offers a fast, low-cost alternative for institutions with limited resources such as individual philanthropists, sponsors, NGOs, investors and heads of government.
Container Schools and Classrooms
If you want to build classrooms for your students cheaply and in the shortest time possible, then shipping containers are the way to go.
This is regardless of whether they are stacked or lateral.
In urban spaces, the container classes are usually stacked to maximize space, going to as high as 5 floors.
These are usually built as fast solutions for accommodation of the growing number of students in schools.
During classroom construction, the containers are joined side by side and split laterally to expand the width of the interior.
These are accompanied with roofing, balconies, staircases and protective barriers in cases where stacking is carried out.
Container Commercial Shops/Stalls
Easily the commonest and most recognizable structures in Kenya’s building construction industry.
Their unmatched popularity stems from the ease of construction, high affordability and short completion timelines.
To put in context, a single container shops unit can be refurbished in 5 to 7 days max.
As regards prices, a 20ft container stalls unit costs between Kenya shillings 300,000 and Kenya shillings 400,000 while a 40ft unit with 5 doors costs between Kenya shillings 600,000 and Kenya shillings700,000.
They come in 20ft units, 40ft units and multi-container units much like in the case of container offices, homes and schools.
The defining features are the steel roller shutter doors (roll-down doors) fitted to the front.
Even so, additional features include the interior partitions, electric wiring and fittings and aesthetic spray paintwork.
Container Ablution Blocks (Washrooms)
A containerized washrooms unit
Container washrooms are where you go to answer the calls of nature as well as to freshen up.
These highly important spaces are essential in all forms of life and society, both public and private.
Generally, container washrooms must be designed to provide privacy, hygiene, dignity and comfort.
Made from both 20ft and 40ft containers, washrooms are built with stalls for long calls, short calls, showers and sometimes change rooms.
The 20Ft washrooms can accommodate a total of 6 stalls/spaces (3 for ladies and 3 for gents).
The 40Ft washrooms provide up to 12 stalls (6 for ladies and 6 for gents).
The gents’ sections are normally designed with urinal spots for that quick in and out exercise.
In Kenya, washrooms are built for companies, institutions such as schools, hospitals and religious centers as well as for public spaces in urban areas.
Container Restaurants, Hotels and Cafes: Convenient Entertainment Spots
Convenient Design for a Container Entertainment Spot
Container restaurants and hotels offer customized spaces for entertainment, relaxation, parties and meetups.
These are majorly available in urban Kenya from Nairobi to Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, etc.
Shipping containers are able to offer solutions for all forms of designs ranging from the minimalistic cafes and fast-food joints to larger, more accommodating spaces such as night clubs, events spaces, restaurants, hotels and motels.
Entertainment and relaxation spots are normally beautified to create memorable events and activities for revelers.
In building container hotels and restaurants, much consideration must be placed on cost, location, attraction, movement and enjoyment.
We are Here to Help You Build One or more of the Above
In Kenya’s tech-savvy and highly advanced building construction sector, there is no limit to what you can achieve, particularly with shipping containers as base equipment.
Every design has a unique class, every class a unique style, and every style a unique flair.
You have every reason to dream, to believe and to attain whatever idea you have in mind with us.
For any of the above, be it a classy container home, an inspiring office workspace, a uniquely styled shopping mall or a modular entertainment spot, be sure to engage us.
Bil Keane said, “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”