$485K Eco-Friendly House in Marfa Proves Just How Elegant Shipping Containers Can Be

Two environmentally friendly structures sit on one lot in Marfa, TX, and are ready for the taking.

The unusual abode, constructed in 2012 and listed for $485,000, is made from a sustainable building system and shipping containers.

“The main house is built from SIPs, Structural Insulated Panels, and those SIPs units were actually relocated from across the town,” explains listing agent Lauren Meader Fowlkes, with Kuper Southeby’s International Realty. “They used cranes to pick them up and transport them to this lot and also added the container structures as a guest room. It’s probably one of the most elegant uses of a shipping container that I have ever seen.”

Both structures are a combined 944 square feet and come with views of a nearby pasture. And yet, the place is within walking distance of the downtown area.

“You’re in a neighborhood area of Marfa, so you have a neighbor, but the porches are situated in a way that takes advantage of the privacy and the views,” says Meader Fowlkes.

The SIPs structure has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living space. Meader Fowlkes calls this portion of the home “the cubes.”

“They have created kind of an L shape with a deck structure in between that takes advantage of the eastern view,” she explains. “There’s [a] covered porch outside of the bedroom on the west side, so that helps keep shade, and you can sit outside.”

Plans for a larger porch, drafted by an architectural firm, will be included in the sale.

Nearby, two containers are stacked on top of each other. The bottom one is currently storage, and the top one has a bedroom and bathroom.

“That container has a roof deck, and the height of the roof deck is right close to the height of the cubes and has a view that stretches 20-plus miles in every direction,” Meader Fowlkes says. “It’s pretty spectacular.”

The view from the cubes overlooks nearby mountains.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the seller is an interior designer. And the home is available furnished.

The owner “had furnishings built for this particular structure,” Meader Fowlkes notes. “The quality of the workmanship is all very good, and it was all done in a way that was very thoughtful about the site.”

Both structures have been successful short-term rentals, and the city allows each unit to rent separately.

“The perfect buyer is someone who would maybe like to be in Marfa full time, or if they can’t be, they can share the property with friends and family or be able to generate rental income,” Meader Fowlkes says. “This property has the ability to function as a full-time home, a successful short-term rental, or you could rent part of it long term. It’s the ideal property.”

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