Shipping Container Penthouse With an Empire State Building View!

You may know how expensive lot space is in <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/nyc">New York City</a>, so sometimes the only way to build is up! That's what architecture firm <a href="http://www.lot-ek.com/">LOT-EK</a> did to create the Guzman Penthouse, a transformed apartment mechanical room topped off with a 20 foot <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/index.php?s=shipping+container">shipping container</a> master bedroom suite. The whole structure sits on a Manhattan rooftop with a super close view of the Empire State Building - not too shabby!

The penthouse consists of two main portions - a refurbished mechanical room and a 20 foot truck container.

The yellow aluminum container encapsulates a pretty spacious bedroom, but also has room for a partial patio.

To make the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/20/petroleum-tank-turned-into-futuristic-loft-sleeping-pod-and-loo/">bedroom</a> even more space efficient, <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/index.php?s=lot-ek">LOT-EK</a> put the bed on casters so that it could move in and out of the closet.

A metal fire escape ladder (one of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/10/20/petroleum-tank-turned-into-futuristic-loft-sleeping-pod-and-loo/">LOT-EK's favorite design elements</a>) was installed for access from the bedroom to the lower level living room.

The open living space is industrial with exposed beams and pipes.

While simple, the room uses some clever space saving techniques like wall-implanted appliances and newspaper dispensers (as shelves).

Instead of protruding inward, the built-ins jut out of the exterior of the structure, saving much-needed internal space.

The built-ins protruding on the outside of the room.

Who new container living could be so luxurious?

The Empire State Building in the background.