Since the mid-2000s, designers began repurposing containers into a wide array of buildings. Where some saw a problem, innovative architects saw an eco-friendly opportunity. However, over the decades a challenge emerged: an excess of used containers. They are large and sturdy enough to uniformly transport goods but small enough to fit on trucks and light enough to be moved by cranes and forklifts. Shipping containers fill a crucial niche in the world’s economy.