Budget Breakdown: This Remote Prefab Hideaway Built From Shipping Containers Cost $300K
How Anthrop Abbott Architects designed four modules—complete with a hot tub and cantilevered deck—for a rocky outcrop in South Africa’s Karoo.
How Anthrop Abbott Architects designed four modules—complete with a hot tub and cantilevered deck—for a rocky outcrop in South Africa’s Karoo.
The Karoo is a vast semi-desert region stretching across South Africa, defined by its rolling mountains, expansive plains, and dramatic climatic conditions. On a remote rocky outcrop in this breathtaking landscape sits a striking weekend getaway crafted from four shipping containers. Designed by Antrhop Abbott Architects, the off-grid weekender, which is only accessible via a 4x4 vehicle, features designer furniture, bespoke detailing, and a deck that cantilevers out from the clifftop—an ambitious exercise that cost over $300K.
| $31,584 Structural Work (inc. framing, envelope, siding & insulation) | $26,880 Wall Finishes | $3,640 Flooring |
| $840 Roofing | $10,080 Hardware | $36,400 Electrical |
| $14,000 Plumbing | $2,800 Kitchen & Bath Fixtures | $1,960 Lighting |
| $3,248 Appliances | $39,760 Glazing | $1,960 Metalwork |
| $37,800 Furnishings & Decor | $37,520 General Contractor Fee | $39,760 Architect Fee |
| $9,520 Fold-Out Decks | $8,960 Fold-Out Pergolas | |
| Grand Total: $306,712 | ||
"For the client it was always about quality and longevity, and it was quite an expensive exercise," says architect Leon van der Westhuizen, who co-founded Anthrop Abbott Architects with Roald Meyer. "It wasn’t about spending silly money but there were no compromises. It was about quality, practicality, and finding the best solutions—and as there are no companies specializing in this kind of construction, almost everything is custom designed and made. There is no off-the-shelf solution."
The Karoo Uitkyk (Hide Out) is located on a private farm, and was initially conceived as a deck for viewing wildlife, such as antelope, giraffes, and birds. "You can hear everything in nature as it’s so quiet," says architect Leon van der Westhuizen. "You can also see the weather changing as you sit and watch from the ridge—it’s a really amazing feature of that spot."
Photo by Anthrop Abbott Architects
Despite the expense of creating and transporting the bespoke modules, the uitkyk (Afrikaans for "hide-out") was still more cost-effective to build than using conventional construction techniques in such a remote location. It’s also a study in how clever design can elevate the humble shipping container, with a highly engineered, impressively detailed exterior wrapping an interior that celebrates local craft and honest materiality.
The remote site is only accessible via a 4x4 vehicle, and doesn’t have mobile phone reception—which made construction challenging as any queries needed to be relayed to the architects using a satellite phone for emergencies or by driving to the nearest point with reception. "It was a real mission," says architect Leon vad der Westhuizen. "We had to plan everything meticulously and the construction team relied heavily on our CAD data and the building information we shared."
Photo by Anthrop Abbott Architects
"You have this crazy view, but there’s a sense of slickness and everything is very highly detailed," says van der Westhuizen. "It’s one extreme to the other and is completely unexpected. Nothing really prepares you for the contrast between the architecture and the landscape."
The four containers are all the same brand, which was an important consideration as each company has slightly different dimensions, and the highly detailed design of the hide-out necessitated precision.
Photo by Anthrop Abbott Architects
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: This Remote Prefab Hideaway Built From Shipping Containers Cost $300K
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