15 Incredible FLOATING HOUSES

While most people live in homes that are firmly built into the ground and are permanently in one place it doesn't necessarily have to be that way people have for centuries also lived in floating structures and modern technology is now allowed for designs to be built that are pretty incredible from luxurious pads to homemade escapes let's begin today's video on the 15 most incredible floating houses number 15. floating seahorse house Dubai huge Investments have been put into making Dubai one of the most exclusive and luxurious places in the world to live and work and it's where you'll find some of the most Innovative homes in the early 2000s it was announced that a large artificial archipelago called the world would be built from reclaimed land with each of the islands making up a world map on the shoreline against the city While most of the islands remain undeveloped still there's an area known as the heart of Europe there's a series of floating houses that are unlike anything else called The Floating seahorses these three million dollar homes are three stories with one that's completely below the water line and they're made from marine grade concrete at the base and lightweight aluminum higher up they don't have any form of propulsion and are instead lifted into place by crane before being secured in place and they feature a large amount of glass paneling to offer fantastic underwater views and unparalleled vantage point to the ocean and the coastline each one has a bedroom two bathrooms and entertainment spaces and the designers hope that after installing the first stage of 78 floating seahorses there will eventually be 131 of them in what will be one of the most exclusive neighborhoods on the planet number 14 the expiry egg if you put your mind to it you can achieve almost anything and in 2013 English artist Stephen Turner proved that to great effect he was commissioned by a design organization to create a workspace for an artist where they'd also be able to live and he decided to build the expiry egg a floating wooden structure this wasn't simply a case of buying the materials and making it though and over the following 18 months he received help from a number of companies in his local area particularly those with experience in building boats he wanted the egg to represent the blueprint of life as they embody the idea of New Birth and renewal as well as being a practical structure the egg was intended to be a sculpture that would change over time as the seasons progressed and weathered the exterior layer of wood it was tethered for a Time on the river at Exbury in England where it would rise and fall with the tides and after the display ended it had been taken around the country to inspire others to create their own unusual spaces oh number 13 arcup 75 yacht Villa if you've got a spare five and a half million bucks laying around then the arcup 75 could be the future home for you it was designed by waterstudio.nl and is a self-sustaining environmentally friendly structure that's part house and part luxury yacht optional extras can almost double the price but with these you'll get solar panels and propulsion systems as well as stilts that can be used to raise it above the water and according to manufacturers make it able to withstand the forces of a hurricane each one offers around 4 350 square feet or about 400 square meters of space inside and out and have four bedrooms a kitchen an entertainment area and a retractable exterior deck it's able to move it up to five knots which won't exactly keep up with other Yachts but it's plenty enough to relocate across a harbor in an afternoon the company has so far been targeting customers in Miami who will be able to use these to Moor up on the waterfront and move to New locations when they want and in this context the price is comparable to other traditional ocean view properties it's hoped that ideas like this will open up larger areas to new residents without permanently altering the environment and could completely change the future of coastal architecture number 12. Aurora houseboat there are hundreds of houseboats in Seattle and there's a real Community feel on the water they're available in a wide range of different shapes and sizes to suit most budgets but the one that stands out the most by far is the Aurora houseboat that's also affectionately known as the queen of Lake Union built in 2015 it has 4 800 square feet or about 450 square meters of floor space and boasts three bedrooms and four bathrooms it was constructed by a local Shipyard on a foundation of ocean grade Marine aluminum with a combination of modern and classical stylings inside there's a stunning multi-story staircase a professional level kitchen a breakfast nook a dining room a sun room with floor-to-ceiling Windows looking out across the water a home theater and a lovely living room with a real fireplace there are also a number of patios and sun decks to enable residents to make full use of the outside space too which all really comes together to make something that truly is one of a kind recently the Aurora was put on the market for 4.4 million dollars which with the Waterside views the floor space and everything else surely seems like a bargain for anyone who can afford it number 11. the float wing the float Wing is a new houseboat design that was created by a Portuguese company called Friday that hopes to see these vessels being used on waterways around the world they're prefabricated and made to order which means that while there are basic options there's very little limit to how much they can be customized to your particular requirements to be able to Traverse rivers and canals they are 20 feet or just over 6 meters wide but the company says that they can virtually be any length you want with typical options ranging between 30 and 60 feet or nine to about 18.3 meters great effort has been put into reducing their impact on the environment and includes materials and technologies that lower its carbon footprint and makes it as energy efficient as possible when the batteries are fully charged the house can operate for seven days without being topped up and the addition of solar panels can vastly extend that inside there's a fully equipped kitchen air conditioning a barbecue on the Upper Terrace and even a wine cellar that's kept at a constant cool temperature there are also two small outboard motors that means you can always be on the move with one of these and wake up in a new location every day number 10. Mercy Chen Boathouse if you've ever dreamed of having a house with its very own waterfall then this houseboat in Austin Texas could be the ideal place for you created by the mercy Chen Design Studio there are two floors within the property that are connected by a stunning spiral staircase and gives space for an entertainment area with a grill that can be turned into a sleeping area at night time there's a wooden deck on the lower level that's ideal for relaxing by the water and even a dock where you can Moor a small boat everything about this boat house which is on a bend in a lake near the canyonland Nature Reserve has been designed to give the best views over the surroundings and it features curved glass around the top level to give it a truly spacious and open feel access is across a series of stepping stones from the bank but the most notable feature is of course the waterfall that silently draws water from the lake and sends it cascading over the edge of the top level and reflects sunlight in a way that creates an ever-changing pattern Through the Windows while it is fixed to the shore it can be detached easily and moved elsewhere if needed but with such spectacular surroundings you could surely spend all of the summer months there without wanting to go anywhere else number nine the fennel residence this incredible looking structure is called the fennel residence and it was designed and built in 2006 by architect Robert Harvey oshatz it's moored on the Williamette River in Portland Oregon and as you're approaching it you'll soon notice the light bouncing off the curved beams the Western red cedar shingles and the copper roofing it was purposefully designed to appear like a series of Curves flowing over one another with several angled structural beams to support the roof almost all the remaining space is filled with glass which means the house is filled with natural light throughout the day and it gives it an Airy and transparent atmosphere all of the windows open too so the breeze can pass through and ventilate the interior and the white interior also makes it feel like a sail that's about to blow away inside there's a large entertainment space as well as a master suite that looks over a balcony into the main living area in a way that shares the view outside there's also a wonderful wooden pontoon that leads to the water's edge and encourages residents to spend most of their time outside amazingly despite being on the water the house barely sways at all and you'd almost forget you weren't on land if it wasn't for the occasional swell that makes the pendant lights in the kitchen swing number eight Lake huron's floating Cottage as one of the five Great Lakes Lake Huron is bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario and the state of Michigan and has an area of 23 000 square miles or about 59 000 square kilometers it's an absolutely stunning place and there's no surprise that the various inlets around the lake are used to Moor houseboats to Grant spectacular views of the surroundings this one which was designed by MOS Architects is described as being a prefab floating Cottage and is secured in place on steel pontoons that allow it to rise and fall with the changing tides as it's in such a remote location it was built at a workshop and towed in place and it was purposefully designed to complement the area as much as possible with the materials that were used the exterior is surrounded by cedar wood with an additional Cedar rain screen that can be opened or closed to either let the sun in or keep the rain out there are access paths on the ground level across a rocky outcrop or onto the first floor from the bank and inside has two bedrooms two bathrooms a kitchen and a lounge area and if you're looking for Lakeside property that's secluded peaceful and relaxing then there's surely no better choice than a floating Cottage like this one number seven Villa knockros Villa knockros is an incredible floating Villa that was built in 2003 and moored on calm Coastal Waters of the Baltic Sea in kalmar Sweden despite seeming fairly easy at first the design company that was responsible for it faced a number of unexpected challenges during the project which mainly involved how the new residents would have to adapt their everyday lives for living on the water this involved for example getting the local authorities to change regulations around living on the water and kalmar is now seen as the place that actively encourages it has a Greener alternative to land-based properties the main principles in mind with the creation of this Villa were sustainability low maintenance care for the environment low energy costs and identity it's generally accepted that they managed to achieve all of these on all counts it is a standout structure that offers several private bedrooms and bathrooms along with a kitchen and a lounge space that's surrounded by huge Windows to give those spectacular views in total there's just over 1900 square feet or about 178 square meters of internal living space and a further 322 square feet or about 30 square meters of wooden Terrace on the water and another 1 000 square feet or a hundred square meters of garden space on the roof after winning countless Awards since it was built it's quite possible that Villas like these could become a common sight in the coming years as planners look for new ways to provide accommodation in increasingly crowded places number six Steel Tech 37 floating on a small Lake in Saxony Germany is this amazing modern floating house that was created by manufacturing firm Steel Tech 37 made mainly from steel with a steel structure and steel exterior finishes steel slotted screens were fitted to all of the windows to give residents control over the amount of light that enters which can become too much because of the way it bounces off the water's surface split across two interior levels with an open roof deck on top there's just over a thousand square feet or 97 square meters of living space on the lower level there's a dining room a kitchen and a bathroom while on the upper level there's a living room and a bedroom the dining room itself is surprisingly spacious and this is because the kitchen was made to be as compact as possible there's a huge amount of storage space that's cleverly hidden within the counters and every attempt has been made to make it feel far more open and roomy than a place of its size should the bathroom as an example has transparent glass all around it which makes it feel like part of the main living area but at the flick of a switch this can be made opaque to give privacy when needed the design team behind this houseboat knew it wouldn't be suited to long-term living and it along with a second one that's moored nearby is listed for short-term vacation rentals instead of as a primary house still it shows how well the space can be used and has potential as a concept for a permanent floating home number five the athenia floating condo the evil characters in spy movies often have the best bases whether they be hidden inside volcanoes or underwater but you rarely hear of anyone building an actual home that's been inspired by one of those designs recently though French architect Sean Michael dukansell was inspired by the floating saucers used in the 1977 Bond movie the spy who loved me and created the athenia floating pod intended to be luxury homes that can be moved at their owner's whims they have 540 square feet or about 50 square meters of interior space and are a great way for a relaxing Escape each one offers a 360 degree view of the surrounding ocean and have a rooftop Solarium with seating for up to 12 people inside there's even Plexiglas paneling along the base to give a great view of what's Happening beneath the waves the interior space is divided into a living room a bedroom and a relaxation area and everything is circular and designed to keep with the theme a floating pod like this will set you back around 535 thousand dollars if you want to own one outright or about 336 dollars per night if you simply want to stay in one for a while and there are currently a number of them available around the pink Granite Coast in Brittany France after the company has spent 15 years perfecting the design and building them all Number Four Water Villa dambo if you're walking along the river Amstel which passes through Amsterdam in the Netherlands then the chances are you'll spot this next floating home as it's very hard to miss known as the Water Villa De umbal it was built by the Dutch company plus 31 Architects and has a kitchen and a living room space that are level at the surface of the water and a clever split level design that sees the cabins and bathroom lying below it a similar technique is also used on the roof to give it a Terrace at one end and the entire structure is clad in White Aluminum to give it its recognizable finish it's purposefully a very contemporary design that makes the best use of the space that's available within the restrictions of how large something like this is allowed to be on the river ever since it was installed in 2011 it's gained a huge amount of attention with people struggling to believe it's a houseboat because of how different it is from traditional designs it has been proving though that houseboats can look just as slick as any other modern type of home and so many people have been convinced that the Architects are apparently working on newer and more affordable designs that could be floating homes on the river within the next few years number three Lake Union floating penthouse Lake Union which is in the heart of Seattle Washington has hundreds of houseboats of varying shapes and sizes virtually every modern one has its own charm and unique design but one of the most modern and stylish of all is this floating penthouse built by a local architectural firm in 2008 it has 2 800 square feet or about 260 square meters of interior space and has two bedrooms two bathrooms a kitchen a living area a roof deck and a floating basement it also has a dock for a boat and some interior walls can be moved to adapt the spaces as needed the choice of materials was key to making this a practical design with the use of aluminum panels on the exterior for the way they look and also because they require very little maintenance and the technology significantly reduces the power requirements too and it's got in-floor heating that uses an energy efficient heat pump system and a fresh air ventilation system that has an energy saving heat exchanger if this says the designer's hope is sign of what the floating homes of the future will be like that we'll surely be seeing many more like this in the years to come number two butts Claremont houseboats on the quiet Western shores of Dahl Lake in Kashmir India are a series of ornate and lavish structures called the butts Claremont houseboats they're next to an old Mughal Garden that's believed to have been built by Emperor Akbar and it's known as The Garden of the morning Breeze and means that from the boats you not only get an amazing view of the lake and snow-topped mountains in the distance but of these meticulously planted grounds made mainly from wood and representing thousands of hours worth of carving to create a traditional styled exterior these houseboats which were built in the 1940s are equally as impressive on the inside where it feels like you're stepping back into the past instead of being permanently lived in by the owners as they were originally these houseboats have instead been converted into Hotel accommodation with Super Deluxe rooms that have private adjoining bathrooms if you're visiting the area there's no better place to stay just a few nights here will show you Indian Hospitality at its finest number one the Gigi Wetland estate the Gigi National Wetland Park is a huge 2 800 acre protected region in the zeijang province in Eastern China That's covered with countless lakes ponds waterways and swamps it's an area that's been significant to Chinese culture for more than 4 000 years and is referred to locally as the green lung in the paradise with more than 220 different plant species and at least 89 different species of birds of course construction is restricted in the wetlands because of the importance of preserving them but as well as there being a couple of fishing villages there's also the Gigi Wetland estate which is made up of a series of stone apartments admittedly these structures aren't technically floating but are instead raised on Stone plinths above the water's surface to give the impression that they are a decision that was made to allow residents to feel as close as possible to Nature without fundamentally affecting it huge long blocks of Graystone were used to build the 20 apartments and they're all connected by an h-shaped wall way that's surrounded by careful plantings everything in their design has been chosen to reduce energy requirements and use the natural insulation of the wetlands to warm and cool the apartments it's seen as a great example of humans working hand in hand with nature rather than destroying it and is a blueprint for how future developments can be conceived around sites of natural importance thank you to our channel members

Channel: Top Fives

Views: 52,411

Keywords: house, houses, floating houses, house boats

Id: v7_MCglk14E

Length: 19min 53sec (1193 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 03 2023