Shipping Containers Stacked Five High to Create London Hotel

Shipping containers have been used for a wide range of projects, from tiny houses to apartment buildings, and, despite their limitations, continue to spark the imaginations of architects.

The latest example of this comes from UK design studio Doone Silver Kerr, which used the metal boxes to create a hotel in London.Located in Waterloo, the Stow-Away Hotel consists of recycled 30-ft (9.1-m)-long shipping containers stacked five containers high, to offer a total of 20 “aparthotel” rooms which can be used for short or longer stays. A wine bar and reception area are installed on the ground floor.

The containers themselves have been painted a uniform white and modified with glazing and doors. We’ve no word on insulation, which tends to be the Achilles heel of these container-based projects, though the firm did add shading fins to the windows to mitigate solar heat gain and enliven the exterior appearance.Additionally, rubber padding was used to reduce vibrations and sound carrying throughout the rooms and stairs and elevators were also added to the rear of the building.