A housing unit with a pontoon having a plurality of shipping containers arranged thereon. The shipping containers have been adapted to be habitable by providing at least one door and at least one window in the shipping containers and by insulating the shipping containers. The pontoon has a flat top, three or more of shipping containers placed on the flat top in a first polygon arrangement with an atrium formed inside the first polygon arrangement. Three or more shipping containers are placed on top the first polygon arrangement to form a second polygon arrangement. The second polygon arrangement is preferably being displaced relative to the first polygon arrangement to obtain a star shaped arrangement.