Owing to increasing economic pressures and continued limited access to property, Rawson Property Group says the trend of creating homes from shipping containers could potentially solve the problem.

“Shipping containers certainly offer an interesting alternative to traditional construction techniques, particularly when it comes to affordable living,” Rawson MD Tony Clarke says.

He refers to some “forward-thinking container solutions” that have been built in areas such as Maboneng, adding that “the opportunity is there to leverage this type of construction for a number of other applications”.

Another benefit of container properties is their compatibility with off-grid solutions – like solar power, solar lighting and rainwater-harvesting systems. Clarke notes that the ability to function without municipal connections makes container structures “an ideal solution” for desperately needed rural facilities, like clinics and schools.

“Building anywhere outside of the normal reach of municipal infrastructure can be very difficult and costly, not only because basic services would need to be installed, but also because transport for construction crews and equipment gets very expensive,” Clarke explains.

He adds that the mobile nature of a container, and the fact that it can largely be built off site, makes it “a very smart solution” for this type of structure.

With the typical cost of a container home being about a quarter of an equivalent brick and mortar property, shipping containers could also offer a very affordable alternative for Reconstruction and Development Programme housing projects.

Container homes can also be sturdier than cheap brick and mortar construction and, with the right cladding and basic maintenance, can be “just as comfortable, stylish and long-lasting as their traditional counterparts,” he comments, adding that high-end container homes have also become popular amongst ecofriendly homeowners looking for a more compact lifestyle.

“More and more people, particularly in younger generations, are moving away from the traditional three-bedroom, two-bathroom family home in favour of a smaller space housing just the essentials,” Clarke explains.

Container homes are suitable for this kind of lifestyle, he notes, especially as container homes are “affordable, compact, ecofriendly and relatively easy to expand down the line”.

With their flexibility and unique design aesthetic, shipping containers have also become popular as retail, café and restaurant facilities.

“Containers are a great way to introduce marketplaces and social hubs within informal communities, providing safe spaces for small business owners to set up shop,” Clarke notes.

“Our current unemployment crisis makes it essential for us to stimulate this kind of entrepreneurial economy, and intelligent use of shipping containers could go a long way towards facilitating that goal.”