MODERN HOUSE DESIGNS

Water Homes 'Watervilla' - modern aquatic architecture at its best

As far as water homes go, Watervilla Kortenhoef, is definitely a cool modern design. Located in The Netherlands, this unique home design is modern aquatic architecture at its best, boasting all the features, finishes and comforts of a conventional house, with water beneath it and surrounding it in every direction. Designed by Waterstudio.NL, this unusual home features a low profile against the water’s surface. And because the ground is floor virtually level with the water, this allows for an even stronger connection to the water. The main level is enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass walls for endless views of sun and surf. Beneath the main level of this innovative architecture is a storey housing the bedrooms and bath, while above it, a large rooftop terrace is the perfect spot for take in the colorful sunset. This glass aquatic home floods interiors with natural light – even the sub-grade living areas. For more info check out Netherlands Architects, Waterstudio.NL.

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17 Sep 2009 | Floating Homes | Comments (0)

Modern Houseboat Design - a sustainable houseboat from the future!

As part of a Swedish design competition, Niall McLaughlin Architects designed this fabulous modern houseboat for two. Small in size but big on innovation, this unique floating home was born from three key considerations – light, space and construction. According to the architects, “Our aim was to design a house which has a spatial quality which we describe as a ‘thicket.’ Implicit in this is the idea that the enclosure is experienced as a congruence of lines rather than as a clearing defined by surfaces. The thicket suggested an intertwining of lines which led us to an interest in the process of weaving.” To realize their design concept, a visit to the West of Ireland schooled the architects on the building of light-weight, basket-like fishing boats called “currachs.” And thus the Houseboat was born. This cool, contemporary house design is made from woven carbon-fibre, and boasts inflatable flotation elements. The upper portion of the structure is a translucent, argon gas-filled volume that serves to insulate the space. “By combining inflatable and woven elements, within the depth of the construction of the houseboat, we extend the concept of interdependence between contained and container. The container and the contents rely on each other for stability,” reveal the architects. On entry, interwoven electronic elements immediately catch your eye. This curious contraption collects energy from the environment and reuses it. A really cool feature is one you can’t see outright - solar panels power a pump that circulates water through underwater coils to the exterior wall of the home, passively cooling the space. Niall McLaughlin Architects

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29 May 2009 | Floating Homes | Comments (0)

Eco-Friendly Mobile Floating Architecture - off the grid solar home

Taking it one step beyond “houseboat,” UK-based Kingsley Architects has designed its own brand of modern, low-carbon, mobile floating architecture, and dubbed it the SolarHome. Is there anything this cool home doesn’t do? Located in the Lusatian Lakelands of Germany, this organic-formed floating piece of architecture was designed to blend with the nature that surrounds it. The 75m2 SolarHome reinvents the concept of a camper van. SolarHome features eco-friendly, off-the-grid solar power, and has been designed to operate in one of two modes – Docked Mode, which requires some infrastructure for power, fresh water and water treatment; while in Self Sufficient Mode, SolarHome can operate for a period of six to 12 months without any service requirements. How does that float your boat? For more information, visit Kingsley Architects.

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16 Mar 2009 | Floating Homes | Comments (0)

Floating Cottage Prefab on Lake Huron, Canada - rises and falls with the tides

Designed by MOS Architects, this gorgeous prefab floating cottage in Ontario, Canada crosses the traditional concept of “home” with the unique geographic conditions of the little island on Lake Huron. Due to the naturally rising and falling water levels surrounding this location, the cottage is places on steel pontoons, allowing the entire structure to rise and fall with the tides. The landscape not only influenced the design of this rustic home, but its construction as well. Lake Huron as a waterway was in delivering the materials to an off-site workshop, where the house was built and then towed to its floating location. Cedar siding dresses the home’s exterior, with an additional cedar rain screen that can be opened to allow light to filter through its slats, or closed to keep the elements outdoors. Whether you take a seat by the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, or kick back on the outdoor deck, the beautiful lake and its natural surroundings are yours to behold. MOS Architects
via Arch Daily

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19 Jan 2009 | Floating Homes | Comments (0)

Sustainable Floating Cabin in Beautiful British Columbia

Canada’s beautiful British Columbia is home to majestic mountains, endless forest and wonderful lakes – a nature-lovers paradise indeed. So the opportunity to incorporate sustainable housing into these surroundings has led to the awesome innovation of the floating house. Gently bobbing atop Powell Lake in Coastal B.C. is the Lutz’s own floating cabin, which they’ve happily made their retirement home. The wonderfully rustic cabin sits on a 40-by-40-ft. cedar float. The cozy 20-by-21-ft. water-top retreat boasts a main floor with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and dining and living areas. Upstairs, a spacious loft houses the master bedroom. In addition to the main float, a series of smaller floats accommodate a boat dock, a floating woodshed, and a floating vegetable garden. In order to help keep these surroundings beautiful, the home’s power comes via off-the-grid sources – solar and wind power, and propane for cooking, refrigeration and additional lights.
via Tiny House Blog via DigsDigs

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25 Dec 2008 | Floating Homes | Comments (0)

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