Where to Place Container Houses in Shanghai

The placement of container houses in Shanghai must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Unauthorized housing modifications or illegal placements may be deemed illegal constructions, and it is necessary to go through procedures or avoid actions such as ground hardening based on the purpose and nature of the site.

Legal Placement Scenarios

• Temporary use without altering land properties: If container houses are only used for temporary storage of agricultural materials and tools, serving as guard houses for farmland and orchards, and do not damage the plow layer, are not connected to water and electricity, and do not undergo traditional infrastructure construction such as ground hardening, they are generally not considered illegal constructions. For example, reasonably placing containers beside farmland for temporary agricultural storage.
• Within specific project planning: Some projects that have undergone planning approval, such as the container buildings in Shanghai Duoli Farm, are designed by professional architectural design firms, integrating multiple functions. The placement of their containers follows the needs of the usage space and climatic conditions and is legal and compliant. Creative container office projects like the Shanghai Orendaland reception and exhibition center are also constructed and placed under legal planning.

Illegal Placement Situations

• Housing modifications for residential or business use: Without approval from relevant departments, modifying containers to make them suitable for living, such as connecting them to water and electricity, adding doors and windows, or installing air conditioners, or using them for business activities, should be regarded as illegal constructions. For example, the illegal residential containers discovered by the Songjiang Urban Management Dongjing Sub-team and the behavior of a restaurant owner in Lvxiang Town, Jinshan District, who used containers as temporary housing for employees.
• Stacked in public areas or affecting the urban appearance: If containers are stacked in public areas, they should be identified as illegal occupation of public space. For instance, the illegally constructed container houses in a parking lot discovered by the Cheduan Urban Management not only affect the urban appearance but also pose significant safety hazards.