Houston is a really cool place that has a bad rap for sprawling suburban track home developments & SUVS, bigger is better. The beauty of the city isn't apparent from passing through, it's the small pockets of the city that keep me here. In my Highlight on Houston features I'm aiming to show you what a cool place Houston really is.

nu·men /nū’mən/

1. A presiding divinity or spirit of a place. 2. Creative energy; genius.

Numen Development! They were featured in Dwell in 2009 with their first shipping container home. Houston has no shortage of shipping containers with the Port of Houston 1 of the busiest in the world. Katie Nichols and John Walker met at Burning Man in 2004 and developed a friendship over their like-minded design dreams to create "affordable, design-intensive housing for creative, urban people". After a few business setbacks they formed Numen Development to do just that with "affordable, easily acquired, incredibly durable shipping containers". Katie and John enlisted architect Christopher Robertson to design a home using 3 shipping containers. The design in simple, sleek and modern while also being livable. Below are images from Dwell of that first home. Katie and John have since built others and hope to expand their concept to condos and restaurants.

To learn more about Numen Development and building with shipping containers go to their site here. I am SO EXCITED about the possibilities with shipping containers! What a cool things. Super cool.

I'm going to see the first LEED certified house in Houston tomorrow. I can't wait. I'll share what I learn with you:)

Have a great weekend!

Jamie