The highlight of the Homemaker’s Fair in Cape Town last weekend was WolfPack’s modular mobile off the grid home, which sold off the show for R400 000 and is being set up for the new owner in Scarborough. The concept follows many others, but is the way forward today as the shipping-container unit can be designed to be completely off-the-grid. You can shift it easily to any location and add units in whichever configuration you wish to create: L-shapes, a double-storey, or even an enclosed courtyard surrounded by three other units. Quality finishes and smart technology set this one apart from the rest (even the retractable awning can be automated).

And here’s the interesting part: it packs up easily because it has hydraulic folding arms. Wolfpack create a customized, integrated app for your smartphone, that allows it to remotely engage the folding capabilities, and your mobile house folds up itself, ready for transportation. The customized app has been used successfully with their portable bars to date. All the living spaces, fixtures and finishes can be customized but care is taken to maximize on space. And, as an added bonus, you can also rent the units for pop-up shops, bars or temporary accommodation. A special design has also been created for mining staff accommodation, their other niche market.

Containers come in two sizes: 6- and 12-meter long units, but standard units are 6mx2,4m. All units have the same 2,4m width to comply with transportation laws. Units are delivered on a flat-bed crane truck so that they can be lifted over walls and into gardens. The units can be stacked up to 12-storeys but you can also cantilever the units to create an innovative space. Units are insulated with outside cladding (40-50mm insulated Chromadeck panels or refrigeration panels), and with 50mm insulated, compressed foam. They can also be ventilated in a number of ways: air-conditioning, air vents or whirl birds at the top of the unit. New shipping-container units are said to have a lifespan of 25 years but with good cladding, they last over 50 years. They are sandblasted and treated for rust, wire-brushed, primed and painted before cladding. The only thing you have to do once you’ve ordered one is lay down a concrete slab or four blocks for the four stilts, and connect it to the plumbing!

Battery powers the whole unit, which can be charged by solar panels. You have the option of a off the grid solar or gas geyser and an inductive or gas stove. Depending on the amount of KVA required and power output, you will need to charge the battery periodically. Getting approval from the municipality for these units is easier than normal building plans. See more information on capetown.gov.za.