Residential Shipping Container Primer (RSCP™)

Port-a-Bach. A bach "is the name given in New Zealand to structures akin to small, often very modest holiday homes or beach houses. They are an iconic part of New Zealand history and culture."

Cecile Bonnifait and William Giesen of atelier workshop have built a bach out of a box, a 20' shipping container.This isn't easy to do; they are narrow inside. They pulled it off by having one side of the container fold down to open it up to the outdoors; suddenly it is bright and open. Every inch of it is used cleverly, even the container doors become support for a bed.

A holiday home that is portable, secure, has a high-level finish, designed to be environmentally clean, comparatively inexpensive, and comfortably sleeps two adults and two children.

It allows for easy portability. An immediate, flexible and long-term solution that enables you to use your land without investing in a permanent property commitment, and for future development, ideal for leased land situations. It is power, water and sewer independent, it is well suited to remote or non-service supplied land, but can also be connected to available services. Quick and easy transportation (via truck or helicopter) and installation to any orientation with minimal impact on site, unfolding to create a living space and refolding to create a secure unit for in situ storage or relocation.

It features a fully enclosed exterior steel shell (when folded up). Appointed with large internal storage cupboards and shelves / stainless steel kitchen and fittings / bathroom with open shower, sink, composting toilet. An interior fabric screen system gives the versatility of creating rooms within the large open living space. Includes bunk beds, double bed room, dressing room, kitchen and bathroom. Exterior canvas screen system shelters the deck area for comfortable indoor/outdoor flow and living. Six concrete footings form a stable, non-invasive 'foundation', allowing you to situate the unit on a wide range of ground conditions.