Transportable, modular, self contained shipping container building

1. A transportable, modular building comprising:

at least one rectangular, parallelepiped shipping container, the shipping container comprising: frame members defining an outer periphery of the shipping container, the frame members connected at each corner of the shipping container by corner fittings; walls extending between frame members along all sides of the shipping container; and a door opening at one end of the shipping container; and

a plurality of structural members forming at least one room adjacent the shipping container;

the shipping container and structural members combining to form the modular building;

wherein at least one of the structural members is directly connected to at least one of the corner fittings;

wherein any cutouts for windows or doors in the shipping container walls are reinforced by reinforcing members connected to the walls and surrounding the cutout;

wherein the shipping container is sized to accommodate the plurality of structural members;

wherein the shipping container is suitable for national and international conveyance using conventional transportation networks; and

wherein the at least one adjacent room is not another shipping container.

2. The transportable, modular building of claim 1 , wherein the structural members include one or more of: generally straight beam members, curved beam members, vertical beam attachments, horizontal beam attachments, sloped beam attachments, floor beam attachments, roof beam attachments, window supports, door supports.

3. The transportable, modular building of claim 1 , wherein the shipping container is a Series 1 Freight container and meets at least the structural requirements specified in ISO 1496-1 1990(E).

4. The transportable, modular building of claim 1 , further comprising a means to harvest, store, and distribute energy from any combination of solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, and geothermal power.

5. The transportable, modular building of claim 1 , further comprising a means to harvest, store, and/or purify potable or non-potable water.

6. The transportable, modular building of claim 1 , wherein the shipping container is the structural base of the modular building.

7. A method of producing a transportable, modular building, comprising:

providing at least one rectangular, parallelepiped shipping container, the shipping container comprising: frame members defining an outer periphery of the shipping container, the frame members connected at each corner of the shipping container by corner fittings; walls extending between frame members along all sides of the shipping container; and a door opening at one end of the shipping container;

loading the shipping container with a plurality of structural members and tools for assembling or disassembling the members;

transporting the loaded shipping container via conventional transportation networks to a building site;

unloading the structural members and tools after arrival at the building site;

constructing at least one room adjacent the shipping container from the plurality of structural members, wherein at least one of the structural members is directly connected to at least one of the corner fittings;

wherein any cutouts made in the shipping container walls before transportation are reinforced by reinforcing members connected to the walls and surrounding the cutout; and

wherein the at least one adjacent room is not another shipping container.

8. The method of producing a transportable, modular building of claim 7 , wherein the structural members include one or more of: generally straight beam members, curved beam members, vertical beam attachments, horizontal beam attachments, sloped beam attachments, floor beam attachments, roof beam attachments, window supports, door supports.

9. The method of producing a transportable, modular building of claim 7 , wherein the shipping container is a Series 1 Freight container and meets at least the structural requirements specified in ISO 1496-1 1990(E).

10. The method of producing a transportable, modular building of claim 7 , further comprising a means to harvest, store, and distribute energy from any combination of solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, and geothermal power.

11. The method of producing a transportable, modular building of claim 7 , further comprising a means to harvest, store, and/or purify potable or non-potable water.

12. The method of producing a transportable, modular building of claim 7 , wherein the shipping container is the structural base of the modular building.