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You could build the external structure and a "floor" (steel plate) for each level, then you could swap out trailers if needed, a vertical trailer park.

Would need some way to get up and down and toilet/water.

Tbh by the time you've done all that you might as well just build a normal modular high rise (that's how the local budget hotel did it, nearly whole thing turned up as a series of containers each prefitted with plumbing and power, then stacked together, hooked up and done, it went up insanely fast).

Isn't that how modular homes already work? My house is a modular. The two floors are pretty much identical under the drywall and flooring; it comes as a one or two floor option and from what I've been told they just slap the same floor on top of the first in the latter case.

It's already being done, and doesn't look redneck at all: http://indiedwell.com/

There are some gorgeous homes made out of shipping containers, the best ones I've seen probably were not cheap but the design is modular and relatively simple.

Like the stacks in ready player one?