Containers have many uses.Yes, it is clear that one of them, and probably the best known, is to serve to transport things from one place to another.But this is not the only one, and as an example, there is nothing more to see than some interesting projects aimed at converting these pieces into homes.Some of them, the majority, consist of more or less small-sized dwellings aimed at housing, at most, a single family.Others, on the other hand, are projects of a certain magnitude capable of housing a good number of people inside.This is the case of IDA, a project designed by Local Studio, which has the merit of being, to date, the tallest container building in the US, with six floors containing 18 one- and two-bedroom apartments and with a ground floor to be converted into commercial spaces.Local Studio worked collaboratively with the City of Phoenix on the project to align with the city's climate action plan, which includes more sustainable housing options.The process lasted from the beginning of 2021 to June 2022.Front Facade / Local Studio The surrounding landscape is populated by desert plants and trees that require little water to provide shade along the street.To further accommodate the Arizona sun, heat-reflective paint was chosen to keep temperatures low and reduce energy consumption.In addition, it is equipped with an outdoor shower and an electric bicycle charging station, as well as a bicycle repair station, to encourage bicycle commuting.In addition, the structure will serve as an architectural example for students, developers, and city employees studying engineering, sustainability, and shipping container design.IDA was built using more than 370 tons of recycled steel in the form of shipping containers, but the finished building is powered by renewable energy through its 33-kilowatt solar system.Over the sidewalk, a double-sided solar awning shades passers-by, while also providing electricity for the ground-floor retail space.There is also a double-sided solar shaded roof deck, providing views of the downtown skyline, while also producing nearly 40% of the apartments' energy needs.In addition to recycled building materials, a simple design element with a big impact has been built: the 'bioswales'.These are small plant-filled ditches dug between the sidewalk and the street, which naturally collect rainwater for irrigation of desert flora, while also filtering polluted runoff.To this is added a storage tank of 11,000 liters.On the outside of the ground floor of the IDA there are concrete sewer structures, generally buried underground that collect excess water.My Box Experience started in 2014, with the aim of giving shipping containers a second life.Throughout these years they have created swimming pools, classrooms and even homes, always with biodegradable materials and renewable energies.But without a doubt the company's projects have grown faster in the last period.During covid, the company focused on providing solutions that would help solve the emergency situation in public spaces.The growth of the world population is a reality that, according to the data, is irrefutable.If we look at how it has evolved in recent decades, we can see that in the last 50 years it has doubled, to exceed more than seven million people.The repercussions of this evolution, which seems to be a trend that, for now, is not going to be reversed, are many and affect very different areas.And one of them is housing, specifically in those places where demographic pressure is more pronounced, as is the case in some of the big cities, with the increase in demand for affordable housing.The city of Hong Kong is used to seeing exorbitant prices in the housing market.Now the most expensive sale of the year has just closed, in a six-bedroom mansion and almost 750 m2 in the luxurious Shouson Hill development, in the south of the island, for 870 million Hong Kong dollars, about 111 million euros at the current exchange rate.The property has a private garden, swimming pool and parking spaces, highly coveted in the city.UK house prices are defying expectations of a slowdown in the housing market.At the end of June, they were up 13% year-on-year, the fastest growth in 18 years, fueled by a shortage of properties for sale, according to mortgage provider Halifax.The average house price reaches a record of 294,845 pounds, about 348,870 euros at current exchange rates.The housing market in The Hampstons (New York) is the second home destination for some of the world's richest people.Its sale prices do not fall below seven figures, and despite the fact that its demand does not usually depend on a mortgage to be able to buy, operations have practically stopped since May due to inflation.Experts affirm that the boom seen after the pandemic has come to an end and that a time of economic uncertainty is coming, while operations fall by 40% and real estate companies have to adjust prices in search of new buyers.The largest symbol of the common currency is looking for a new owner.The enormous sculpture, 14 meters high and weighing 50 tons, located outside the headquarters of the European Central Bank in the German financial capital, will go on the market in mid-October. Its owner, a non-profit organization, does not It has enough funds to pay for its maintenance, which is around 250,000 euros a year.Most world maps are based on the so-called Mercator projection, drawn up in 1569 by the astronomer and mathematician, Gerardus Mercator.The representation of continents was good for navigation, but it does not correspond to reality.Canada, the USA and Russia are much smaller than they appear on traditional world maps, and the same goes for the Nordic countries.Greenland is no big deal either, while Africa is much larger than we think.