In February 2020, Singapore welcomed its first-ever pop-up shipping container hotel at JTC LaunchPad @ One-North, the city’s buzzing technology hub. Surrounded by start-ups, co-working spaces, and the food park Timbre+, the project redefined what temporary urban hospitality could look like.
Concept and Innovation
Tiny Pod’s mission is to create stays where permanent hotels cannot be built. By upcycling shipping containers, the brand designed a hotel that is fast to deploy, flexible in scale, and refreshingly modern in aesthetic. The One-North project began with Container No. 3 and later expanded with Container No. 4, both offering immersive stays with unique architectural character.
Container No. 3 – Urban Cabin Vibe
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300 sq ft interior designed with air-conditioning and two queen-size beds
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Kitchen, dining, study space, and bathroom fitted for comfort
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Outdoor living: an additional 300 sq ft patio, ideal for relaxation or entertaining
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Atmosphere: laid-back modern cabin feel with easy access to the food park nearby
Container No. 4 – The “Invisible” Hotel
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Mirrored exterior reflecting its surroundings, blending architecture into the landscape
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Bedroom with king-size bed and ensuite bathroom featuring a standalone bathtub
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Full kitchen and living room with a hidden queen-size Murphy bed
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Private patio and outdoor seating, turning a compact space into a full urban retreat
Guest Experience
Tiny Pod gives guests the comfort of a hotel suite within the footprint of a container. Each unit offers high-quality amenities while embracing the novelty of modular living. The mirrored façade of Container No. 4, in particular, has become a talking point, making the container appear to disappear into its environment — an architectural statement as much as a hospitality experience.
Why It Matters
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Urban Flexibility: Pop-up hotels can be installed in underutilized plots in dense cities
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Eco-Friendly Edge: Containers are upcycled structures, reducing waste and supporting sustainability goals
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Design Versatility: From mirrored façades to modular interiors, the experience proves container hotels can match or exceed boutique hospitality standards
What It Could Mean for Sri Lanka
The Tiny Pod model shows the potential of container hotels in emerging tourism markets like Sri Lanka.
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Colombo & Kandy: Urban pods near transport hubs or cultural landmarks
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Beachfront Resorts: Quick-build modular clusters in Kalpitiya, Mirissa, or Arugam Bay
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Eco-Retreats: Minimal-impact pods in tea country or forested regions
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Event Solutions: Pop-up accommodation for festivals, conferences, or sporting events
At Hybrid Cargotecture Development (HCD) we translate these global concepts into local solutions — building modular hotels that combine speed, cost efficiency, and sustainable luxury for Sri Lanka’s growing hospitality sector.
