In Europe, some of the finest houseboat designs can be seen along the canals of the beautiful city of Amsterdam. Water Villa testifies a contemporary approach to this type of floating architecture. This three-story houseboat has 250sqm of constructed area and is moored on a canal in the south west of the city. The most distinctive detail of Water Villa relies on its timber cladding that resembles a barcode composition: wooden vertical stripes hide and expose the interior spaces creating a dynamic facade that changes its appearance by night.
The distribution of the program reveals an unexpected sunken floor below the level of the water. A large atrium positioned at the center of the house connects the children’s rooms in the basement with the ground floor living and dining room, as well as the first floor bedroom and study area. An open space plan allows a full interaction between social areas on the ground floor while a void on the first floor doubles the height of the living room.
Slight gaps in the timber-clad facade reveal the position of glass doors and windows on the two upper floors producing a powerful lantern-like effect by night, reflecting also this unique phenomenon on the calm waters of the canal.
A skylight on the top floor illuminates the central atrium providing the necessary ventilation to the central area of Water Villa. Interior surfaces are mainly white painted, from metallic structures to ceiling and wall surfaces. Wood flooring reflect the enigmatic timber facade that turns this houseboat into a unique architectonic experience in the cityscape of Amsterdam…
Architects: Framework Architects + Studio Prototype
Photography: Jeroen Musch
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