When Gracie Phipps was tasked with creating a design that would turn two shipping containers into an off-the-grid sanctuary, she employed everything she’d learned in class, a bit of ingenuity and a whole lot of imagination to meeting the challenge.

For the project, Phipps and her fellow second-year interior design technology students were given a fictitious client, a real location and a list of requirements. They were to design a sustainable, functional and comfortable living space using two 8” by 24” shipping containers. Their location was the land surrounding the Vermilion Trout Pond.

“Our class went out to Vermilion’s local trout pond for a site visit,” Phipps explains. “We staked out where we wanted our project, assessed the sight lines and landscape. We got to design which way we wanted our design to face based on the light and solar orientation. It definitely brings the project to life and makes it feel more real.”

Phipps was inspired by the site visit, which helped fuel the creativity she needed to overcome the unique challenges presented by the conditions of the assignment.

“The pond and surrounding landscape really influenced the calm retreat-like feel of my design,” she says. “I wanted to blend the natural aspects and connection to the outdoors with modern touches.”

The challenge, though, was making a functional living area in such a small amount of space.

“Shipping containers are very limited in space,” Phipps says. “The challenge pushed us to think more creatively in our designs.”

She approached the challenge with a bit of creativity, deciding to cut one of the containers in half to make a separate room for the bathroom in the back, and using the rest of that container to expand the kitchen. This also kept the space from becoming too boxy and rectangular. Phipps incorporated sustainability into her design with solar panels and rainwater harvesting.

Part of the project also involved creating a 3D digital rendering of the design, the first time Phipps and her classmates have added a walkthrough component to their assignments. It was another aspect of the project that helped bring it to life.

“I’m happy with my design,” she says. “It was insightful to learn more about the various ways sustainable aspects can be integrated into buildings, as sustainable practices continue to become more common.”