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The Stow-Away Hotel in London Made Out Of Rescued Shipping Containers

By Simona Ganea
Simona Ganea on Homedit
Simona Ganea Interior Design & Content Contributor
Simona is an interior design and décor writer for Homedit. Since 2011, she has been writing about interior design, DIY solutions, and the latest trends in home architecture.
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After being used countless times, many shipping containers reach the end of the line and are often left to rust. A lucky few however get repurposed. One particularly interesting project which recently made use of this resource is the Stow-Away Hotel from Waterloo, London. It’s a project which was completed in November 2018 by studio Doone Silver Kerr. The main reason why it’s so interesting is the fact it’s constructed out of end-of-life shipping containers, 25 of them in total. 

The hotel occupies a plot between existing buildings and fits nicely into the context of this area
The hotel occupies a plot between existing buildings and fits nicely into the context of this area

They’re stacked 5 in a row creating a 5-storey high building. each container is 9 meters long and they’re all perfectly stacked giving the hotel a geometric, grid-like look. The ground floor of the building is home to the Unwined bar which was previously a pop-bar wine bar but has now found a permanent location thanks to this project. The adjacent walls of the five containers which make up the bar have been cut away to create a continuous space inside which was then lined with wood to create an inviting ambiance. 

Here you can see the colored underside of the sunshade fins that complement each unit
Here you can see the colored underside of the sunshade fins that complement each unit
The other side of the fins is white in order to match the facade of the hotel
The other side of the fins is white in order to match the facade of the hotel
The windows also have decorative white overlays on the bottom half for added privacy from the street
The windows also have decorative white overlays on the bottom half for added privacy from the street
The subtle orange accents on the facade allow the hotel to better complement one of the more colorful neighboring buildings
The subtle orange accents on the facade allow the hotel to better complement one of the more colorful neighboring buildings

The remaining 20 stacked containers above the bar make up the hotel. Each container has been transformed into an apartment-style room. The street-facing sides have large windows cut into them with white overlays at the bottom for privacy and a set of welded fins that act as sunshades for each unit. The fins give the facade depth and allow it to look more interesting and they’re white on the outside to match the rest of the hotel and orange on the inside, a reference to the original color of the shipping containers and their history.

When viewed from the other side, the white facade is in tone with the other structures down the street
When viewed from the other side, the white facade is in tone with the other structures down the street

The rooms are designed to resemble studio apartments and each have a small kitchen with basic features such as a sink, a plate, a small fridge and also a dishwasher. The bathroom has a walk-in shower and is decorated with white marble and stained plywood, two materials which are also used throughout the rest of the room as well. The rest of the interior is occupied by the bed, a storage closet and a small table with two chairs. At the back of the hotel the units have access to a series of balconies. 

The back of the hotel features a series of metal staircases and balconies from where the London skyline can be admired
The back of the hotel features a series of metal staircases and balconies from where the London skyline can be admired
The entire ground floor of the building is occupied by the Unwined bar which now has a permanent location
The entire ground floor of the building is occupied by the Unwined bar which now has a permanent location
The interior of the bar is lined in wood and has a concrete floor which give it a modern and also welcoming feel
The interior of the bar is lined in wood and has a concrete floor which give it a modern and also welcoming feel
The walls of the bar feature lots of open shelves with wine bottles and glasses carefully displayed and stored on them
The walls of the bar feature lots of open shelves with wine bottles and glasses carefully displayed and stored on them
Table that match the shelves and the overall design of the bar are placed along the interior
Table that match the shelves and the overall design of the bar are placed along the interior
The remaining four floors house 20 hotel rooms with apartment-style interiors
The remaining four floors house 20 hotel rooms with apartment-style interiors
Each room has a bed, a bathroom, a small kitchen, a table with chairs, a storage closet and a wall-mounted TV
Each room has a bed, a bathroom, a small kitchen, a table with chairs, a storage closet and a wall-mounted TV
The kitchen is small but has all the basic features cleverly integrated into it
The kitchen is small but has all the basic features cleverly integrated into it
A tall mirror attached to the side of the built-in closet helps the narrow room appear brighter and larger
A tall mirror attached to the side of the built-in closet helps the narrow room appear brighter and larger
The bathroom has a walk-in shower with white marble tiles on the walls and a glass door
The bathroom has a walk-in shower with white marble tiles on the walls and a glass door
The rest of the bathroom is lined with stained plywood
The rest of the bathroom is lined with stained plywood
The rooms have acoustic doors and there's also rubber pads in between the floors to block the noise of the trains
The rooms have acoustic doors and there’s also rubber pads in between the floors to block the noise of the trains
The large mirror in the bathroom has a similar effect to the other one, making the bathroom seem larger
The large mirror in the bathroom has a similar effect to the other one, making the bathroom seem larger
All the units have this long and narrow layout which the designers chose to embrace and to enhance
All the units have this long and narrow layout which the designers chose to embrace and to enhance