Written: V. Wolf

A unique, innovative, and possibly bizarre housing project utilizing shipping containers is being proposed for West Colfax, potentially transforming Denver's skyline.

Bonsai, an architecture and design-build firm based in Denver, submitted a concept plan on March 21 for a five-story structure consisting of 24 shipping container units located at 3541 W. Colfax Ave. This project would add to Bonsai's portfolio of successful single-family and multifamily projects in the Denver area, including residences in the West Colfax neighborhood.

Situated at the northeast corner of Lowell Boulevard and West Colfax Avenue, the project would include four parking spaces along the north side of the site. The building design features two residential units, a bike room, mail area, and an office on the first floor. The second, third, and fourth levels would each house six units, while the fifth floor would offer four units and a gym.

Additionally, according to the Denver Business Journal, plans indicate the inclusion of a 2,700 square foot rooftop deck above the fifth floor. The units range in size from just under 400 square feet to over 500 square feet.

The use of shipping containers as building materials has gained traction among architects and designers due to their modularity, mobility, and durability. Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano, architects known for their innovative use of shipping containers, have recognized the vast potential of these containers, which are often left empty at ports worldwide. Their work has been featured in an art exhibition in San Francisco, showcasing shipping containers as both building materials and art projects.

Containers offer cities like Denver an attractive alternative to traditional construction materials like cement, which contributes significantly to planet-warming pollution, and wood, which requires the cutting down and regrowth of trees.

The proposed Denver property is located across the street from the historic Lake Steam Baths, a bathhouse established by Russian immigrants Ethyl and Harry Hyman in 1927.

While the lake steam property was sold in 2022 for $2 million, plans are underway to build a hotel while preserving the bathhouse. Amy Hyman, the granddaughter-in-law of the original owners, still owns the property at 3541 W. Colfax Ave.

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Last year, Denver received a concept plan for the same site, proposing 30 affordable housing units from Meridian 105 Architecture. West Colfax has been a popular location for shipping container-related projects, with previous proposals including a startup called Stackhouse, which aimed to build an eight-story tower for shipping container residences nearby Lake Steam. However, that particular project was never built.

If approved, developers hope the shipping container housing project on West Colfax will revolutionize Denver's architectural landscape, showcasing the city's openness to innovative and sustainable building practices.