A modern two-story building constructed from shipping containers featuring a colorful mural on the upper level. People are walking and sitting outside, with a mix of grassy and paved areas. The parking lot in the foreground includes a designated accessible parking space. Trees and a bike rack are visible.

A two-story building constructed from shipping containers features a colorful abstract mural. The building is surrounded by trees and green grass, with a few people and dogs in the vicinity. Visible elements include outdoor seating, a railing, and a modern, paved area.

Merriman Anderson Architects Designs Affordable Housing Out Of Shipping Containers

January 21, 2021

DALLAS—January 21, 2021—Merriman Anderson/Architects (MAA) is proud to announce that the firm has partnered with CitySquare Housing to design the “Lomax Container Housing Project,”  an apartment complex of shipping container homes in Southeast Dallas. The project aims to tackle the limitations of affordable housing in the city.

CitySquare Housing is one of the largest Dallas nonprofits working to combat poverty and affordable housing. Their project, The Lomax Container Housing Project, creatively repurposes shipping containers into 19 one-bedroom affordable apartments in Southeast Dallas at South Malcolm X Boulevard and Louise Avenue.

The shipping containers are 300 square feet. The home layout features the living area at the front of the space, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bedroom at the back of the home. MAA’s team has worked to maintain the structural integrity of the containers to achieve the most efficient use of the materials.

“We are proud to be involved with such a unique project and support a philanthropic effort by CitySquare Housing,” said President of Merriman Anderson/Architects, Milton Anderson.

The units will be rent-restricted at 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) and will cost about $906 monthly, including utilities. The Lomax Container Housing Project is a prototype that CitySquare Housing intends to build at strategic locations around Dallas. The goal is to move on to more significant sites featuring 100 to 130 units accepting incomes at the AMI.

The containers will be built prefabricated off site and delivered and installed by Falcon Structures. MAA’s partners in this project include Summit Consultants, Hunt & Joiner, RLG Consulting Engineers, IntroSpec, and Studio Outside.