The once-humble shipping container has become something of a construction celebrity in recent years, owing to its ease of transport and modular design. People all over the world have begun using shipping containers for far more than the simple shipping of goods from one location to another.

If you have been looking to buy shipping containers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or beyond and have a special use for them, enjoy these extra uses that are making waves on the global stage.

1. Swimming pools

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a swimming pool in their backyard, as they are expensive and take a long time to build. But shipping containers are making this more possible and in style! As opposed to standard above-ground pools, which are, quite frankly, a bit of an eyesore, shipping container pools provide a solid, transportable alternative.

Shipping container swimming pools are usually fitted with a drop-in sealant liner or applied sealant to stop water from damaging the steel walls. Naturally, you still use equipment like filters and pumps to keep them clean, although aspects of this depend on what system you want to use and what chemicals you want to clean the pool with.

You can even fully or partially bury a shipping container swimming pool in a way that it looks similar to a typical in-ground swimming pool. However, this can come with challenges that aren’t unlike installing a new in-ground swimming pool. To defeat this challenge, you can install an elevated deck to work as a border to your shipping container pool.

2. Schools

Schools often have to be modular to keep up with changing demands and increasing student numbers. While the modular classroom once had its day, they are no match for the logistical ease of the shipping container, providing classrooms and learning centres in a cool environment. Furthermore, shipping containers are much easier to clean and maintain than traditional classrooms, making them a winner for schools that are looking to experience changing curriculums and increasing class numbers.

3. Restaurants

There are many funky restaurants around the world that have capitalised on the shipping container trend. There is something really fun and quirky about dining in a shipping container, with restaurants providing stylish eating areas and takeaway windows through refurbished containers.

Some stylish shipping container restaurant designs include replacing the large, long wall of the shipping container with awesome views of the surrounding area, as well as providing space for both in and outside-container dining.

4. Medical centres

One of the great things about a shipping container’s versatility is the way it can be put to good use when it is most needed. Case in point: the shipping container medical compound. For example, the Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery, based outside of Khartoum, Sudan, provides relaxation spaces and dining areas made from 20 and 40-foot containers.

5. Hotels

The Container Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is named for exactly that - operating a hotel out of shipping containers! Shipping containers are the core focus of the design behind the hotel, with many of the shipping containers being placed on top of one another to provide a super cool, multi-level hotel space.

They are a modular design favourite!

It’s easy to see why shipping containers have become so popular for architects and business owners across the world. What once was used for shipping products around nations and overseas now has realised a sustainable, super stylish design revolution that is making them popular in all corners of the globe.