Container Dorm Living At Fisk University

Remember the excitement of moving out of your parents’ nest for the very first time? Students at Fisk University were feeling the anticipation of being back on campus and moving into their apartment-style housing. When they heard there was a housing shortage, they questioned how the issue would be solved.

Fisk University’s student body has grown by upward of 70% in the university’s past 5 years according to Jens Frederiksen, Fisk’s Executive Vice President. “We were looking to put 100 beds – quickly – on our campus for student occupancy. The growth was happening faster than we could adjust as a university.”

As they sought solutions for their demanding population growth, a co-worker of Frederiksen’s suggested container homes by Custom Container Living (CCL). Unfamiliar with this type of residential living, Frederiksen questioned the design, the impact, the noise issues – they had loads of questions. All the while, CCL remained confident they could answer questions and provide a stellar solution.

David Cobb, Director of Housing and Grounds of Fisk University, recalls CCL “coming to the rescue like the Lone Ranger.” “They spent hours with our staff answering our questions and making us feel at ease.”

Dr. Frederiksen recognized that students today are intrigued by innovation, sustainability, and thoughtfulness when solving problems, and Custom Container Living could provide a solution that would meet those expectations. Ready to commit to a new style of housing, Dr. Frederiksen agreed to partner with CCL. “It became a no-brainer and became about ‘How do we get it done?’”

As you walk on the sidewalk through this new housing community, you feel as if you are in a college neighborhood. The 40-foot-long container homes are arranged in blocks of four, stacked two units high and two units wide, and showcase wooden staircases that lead students to their second-floor dormitories. The homes are painted a regal, navy blue and a true gold to fully embrace Fisks’ identity.

“Once you walk into one,” Frederiksen says, “you forget that you’re in a shipping container. You have this image in your head of what you will think it will look like, but seeing it come to fruition was pretty exhilarating.” The container homes act as a fifth residence hall for the university and were supposed to be temporary. However, after receiving loads of positive feedback from residents and prospective students, the university is reconsidering the shipping containers’ permanence.

“They turned out great” students say as they rave about the container homes. “You get just enough kitchen, just enough living room, a workspace and a bathroom. It’s all I need as a student.”

“Once you walk into one, you forget you’re in a shipping container.” – Dr. Jens Frederikesen

Robert, owner of CCL, reflects on this project and is proud of the process and finished product with Fisk University. From construction to site logistics, Robert and his team have a lot of experience and know how to coordinate schedules so the logistics run smoothly.

“It’s [logistics] a piece of the puzzle that’s really huge,” Robert says referring to his company’s breadth of skills. Custom Container Living worked with Certified Construction to make sure the sites were licensed and permitted, and quality control was trustily taken care of to help develop the land for the containers. Certified Construction admires their work with Custom Container Living and describes the project as “glitch-free.”

During our interviews, one student went as far to say that when she searches for living post-college, she will look for a micro apartment thanks to such a good experience with the container home.

“One of the things that really drove me to get into this business was to be able to provide affordable, sustainable, durable housing for people,” Robert from CCL explains. “So providing housing for students makes my heart happy and proud we could achieve this.”

For Fisk University and Custom Container Living alike, it is gratifying that the project was a successful, well-received project.