If you’ve ever dreamed of waking up to the sound of gently lapping waves or having a front row seat to stunning sunset views, a floating house may be the perfect living situation for you.
These homes, built on platforms designed to float on water, offer a unique and peaceful way of life that is hard to come by in more traditional land-based homes.
Floating houses can be found in a variety of locations, including rivers, lakes, and coastal areas.
They are often used as vacation homes or as permanent residence for those who want to live on the water.
Living in a floating house can be a truly rewarding experience.
You’ll have access to beautiful water views and a serene living environment that is hard to find in a more urban setting.
Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of water-based activities, such as boating, fishing, and swimming, right at your doorstep.
However, it’s important to note that floating houses do have some unique challenges and considerations.
For example, they may be more susceptible to damage from storms or rough water, and they may require special foundations or anchors to ensure stability.
Additionally, there may be zoning and building regulations that apply to floating homes, and it’s important to research these before building or buying a floating house.
One of the main benefits of floating buildings is that they can rise and fall with the water level, which can help to protect the structure from damage caused by flooding.
Additionally, floating buildings can be built with materials that are resistant to water damage, such as concrete or metal, which can further reduce the risk of flood-related damage.
It’s important to note, however, that no type of building is completely immune to flood damage. Therefore a floating house requires a flood risk assessment.
Even floating buildings can be damaged by strong winds, waves, or debris during a flood.
Therefore, it’s important for homeowners and businesses in flood-prone areas to have proper insurance coverage and a plan in place for emergencies.
Overall, living in a floating home can be a truly unique and fulfilling experience for those who love the water and want to live in a peaceful and serene environment.
‘The Chichester’ prototype floating houses – Baca Architects
This floating house designed by Baca Architects is based on open-plan living and provides views across the Chichester canal.
This house was developed by Baca and a manufacturer called Floating Homes who specialize in flood-resilient housing.
A two-bed unit of this house will be sold for £200,000 which is affordable and the house can deal with floods by increasing water levels.
Floating Houses – Punta de Mar
The main aim of Punta de Mar is to provide a floating accommodation that can be integrated into the natural environment.
It is divided into two floors with a total area of 74m2. The first floor has a private terrace and a stateroom with a bathroom while the second floor is a chill-out deck.
The most important feature of Punta de Mar is that the guest can control aspects like sound, air conditioning, etc through an app.
The materials used are of low environmental impact. Hence, it contributes to sustainability.
Source: archello magazine
Floating House by Carl Turner Architects
To protect the homes from flooding due to climate change, this house utilizes unused waterways and spaces.
It also has a feature for an optional concrete hull in its floor plans.
On the roof of the house, there is a rainwater tank that serves non-drinkable water to the house.
On the paperhouses website, registration is open for downloads and the blueprints are free.
This is the first open-source platform providing world-class design free to the public from where they can download, adapt and build the plans as per their needs.
Source: Architectmagazine
Floating Student Housing – Urban Rigger
The floating student housing is constructed from end-of-life shipping containers.
One Urban Rigger consists of 12 studio apartments sharing a courtyard with a kayak landing, BBQ area, and bike racks partly powered by solar energy.
According to Kim Loudrup, the company’s founder, the company plans to construct around 1000 to 1500 containers in canal, harbour and river intensive cities.
Floating modular homes – Grimshaw
To cope up with the rising sea levels, Grimshaw has come up with a number of floating modular homes that are customizable.
To address the affordable housing shortages in the urban areas, Grimshaw in collaboration with Concrete Valley, a Dutch manufacturing group, is planning to produce Modular Water Dwelling designs.
According to the firms, the homes come with standardised components. However, the internal layouts can be customized according to the occupant’s requirements.
With solar panels and heat exchangers built into the homes, they consume minimal energy.
Source: bdonline
