Are container houses considered modular buildings?

Container houses are an important branch of modular construction, serving as the core carrier of containerized modular buildings and one of the most industrialized and standardized types of modular construction. They align perfectly with the core characteristics of modular construction: "factory prefabrication, on-site assembly, and modular splicing." All functional modules undergo structural reinforcement, interior construction, and equipment installation in the factory. On-site, only standardized connectors are needed for module splicing, fixing, and pipeline connection, significantly shortening the construction period and reducing on-site construction costs.

Compared to traditional modular buildings, container houses use standard shipping containers as basic units, resulting in more uniform module sizes, stronger structural load-bearing capacity, and unique advantages such as mobility and reusability, adapting to temporary and semi-permanent building needs. However, there are subtle differences: modules in ordinary modular buildings can be customized, while container houses are mostly modified from standard containers, but non-standard container modules can also be customized according to requirements.

Today, container houses have become the mainstream application of modular construction, widely used in construction site camps, temporary offices, and cultural tourism and homestays, perfectly embodying the core values of modular construction: efficiency, flexibility, and environmental friendliness.

References

GB/T 7714:Pereira-de-Oliveira L A, Bernardo L F A, Marques A R A. Architectural building design with refurbished shipping containers: A typological and modular approach[J]. Journal of Engineering Research, 2022, 10(1): 1-20.

MLA:Pereira-de-Oliveira, Luiz António, Luís Filipe Almeida Bernardo, and Ana Raquel Araujo Marques. "Architectural building design with refurbished shipping containers: A typological and modular approach." Journal of Engineering Research 10.1 (2022): 1-20.

APA:Pereira-de-Oliveira, L. A., Bernardo, L. F. A., & Marques, A. R. A. (2022). Architectural building design with refurbished shipping containers: A typological and modular approach. Journal of Engineering Research, 10(1), 1-20.