Joshua Clark is no stranger to the loss that comes from weather disasters.
While he has overseen durable home construction projects across five continents — notably helping people rebuild in his hometown after Hurricane Katrina — Clark lost his own home in Hurricane Ida.
This experience inspired him to found Ark Container Homes, alongside artist and actor John Hubert, to build durable and sustainable homes that will last — no matter what nature unleashes.
And nature has continued its unpredictable streak.
Now living in Malibu, Clark was present for the area’s recent devastating wildfires. His home survived the fires — only to be overtaken in a landslide.
“I’m tired,” Clark said in a recent video shared with Good Good Good.
“I’m tired of breathing in the ash that used to be my community here. I’m tired of crawling through destruction stretching over the horizon. It was the same thing after the hurricanes in Louisiana … It happened again. And it’s going to keep happening.”
“I just keep asking myself, why are we building such fragile homes in a fire zone? In an earthquake zone? In a hurricane zone?” he posed.
Clark knew it was time to bring his New Orleans-based company to help rebuild in Los Angeles.
“We originally wanted a home that was comfortable, but also that could be closed up and would be exactly the way you left it when the storm has passed,” Clark said in a statement, sharing the design ethos behind Ark Container Homes.
But he also realized that they could serve a more timely purpose.
“We also realized these container homes could be a way to get people back to living on their property as quickly as possible after any disaster to oversee clean-up and reconstruction and to feel an important sense of normalcy,” he added. “We want to give people a way to get home.”
Ark Container Homes are constructed inside new storm- and fire-proof cargo containers and are fully insulated. Units are either 20 or 40 feet in length, sleeping up to three or six people, respectively.
Additionally, windows are all situated at the container’s opening and can be sealed with the unit’s original steel doors to maintain durability in times of extreme weather.
“Our mission is simple: provide homes that stand the test of time, delivering unmatched durability, comfort, and peace of mind,” Ark’s website outlines. “From the Louisiana bayou to the harshest environments on Earth, our container homes are built to last.”
Each home includes a full residential-sized bathroom; custom cabinetry, storage, and wooden interiors; a projection television; heat and air conditioning; and a full kitchen with a fridge, freezer, microwave, two-burner stove, and sink.
Homes can be tied into existing electrical and plumbing services or can operate independently using a generator or solar panels, and a water pump or gravity-fed system.
While Clark is working to get one of these units to his property in Malibu, he is currently residing in a model unit in Louisiana.
Once his immediate housing needs are taken care of, he hopes to bring an affordable housing option to those rebuilding in California on the heels of the wildfires.
Ark Container Homes retail from $39,997 to $69,997, with financing options available. A portion of every unit sold in California will support community fire brigades.
“I’m using this as an opportunity to rebuild on my own land here,” Clark said, “and also to raise money for the community fire brigades, who I watched save lives while the fire raged.”
Header image courtesy of Ark Container Homes
