Adding to their list of projects that include a tiny holiday home and a colourful remodel of an 18th century building’s interiors is Dutch studio i29’s latest – a contemporary floating home that joins 45 other water dwellings that make up Amsterdam’s Schoonschip floating village.
The Schoonschip was conceptualised by a group of residents and the design studio Space&Matter as a ‘floating village’ plan in 2010. 46 homes now line the waters of Johan van Hasselt Canal, home to more than a hundred residents.
Clad in an exterior of black timber and glass windows, the floating house sports a dramatic triangular opening along one side of its slanted roof, creating a coveted open-air terrace while protecting the privacy of its residents. Entering the main door at water level leads directly into the lounge area, flanked by floor-to-ceiling glazing that looks out onto the canal basin. A staircase zigzags its way across a triple-height atrium, leading residents to the bedrooms-and-baths level and all the way to the highest floor, where we find a stunning kitchen, dining and outdoor terrace area bathed in natural light by means of large skylights. White walls and light wood dominate the interiors of the home, a contrast to its black exterior.
Residents move in and out of the home via a connecting smart jetty, a communal meeting space with shared services dedicated to Schoonschip community.
With water pumps that provide heat and solar panels for electricity, the Schoonschip development is an urban model that proves that sustainability and a contemporary approach to architecture can bring forth homes that suit a modern lifestyle while keeping one’s ecological footprint to a minimum.
Photography © Ewout Huibers for i29