Floating architecture designs to light up Copenhagen, Maldives

Posted on 31/10/2023 by Ida Torres

Water-based architecture is not about boats, yachts, or ships, or at least not just about them. We’re seeing some designers experiment with bringing all kinds of floating structures that residents and tourists can enjoy while basking in breathtaking views. A Copenhagen-based studio is teaming up with the local municipality to bring these unique concepts to life and show different possibilities for this kind of architecture.

Designer: MAST

The first of three projects is a floating sauna and harbor bath where up to fifteen people will be able to have a relaxing time while looking at an aquatic view. They can even plunge directly into the harbor bath after sweating it up in the sauna. It uses eco-friendly materials like cross-laminated timber and wood fiber insulation. This floating sauna is also “portable” in a sense that it can be moved to different locations through a towboat. There is also a small changing room as well as storage facilities and a wooden deck with access to the harbor bath.

The Harbour Cliff is the first free-floating open bouldering gym in the world where visitors can swim to it and then try the different climbing routes within the structure. There are three slightly inverted ledges to do the different challenges, including a 14.8 foot climb where you need to do a particularly hard jump to be able to reach the final spot. It looks like something straight out of an alien invasion movie and I keep expecting a monster to emerge from the structure.

Lastly, if you don’t want to sweat it out in the sauna or do bouldering, you can head over to the Maldives to visit a floating villa. These villas are anchored in protected lagoon areas and have two bedrooms, bathrooms, a loving room, and even a courtyard garden and a roof terrace. As part of their eco-friendly design, they use solar cells, battery packs, on-board sewage treatment and watermakers.

The post Floating architecture designs to light up Copenhagen, Maldives first appeared on Yanko Design.

This luxury holiday home is every grown-up & child’s dream with an architecture designed to deliver ultimate fun!

Posted on 09/12/2021 by Chi Thukral

If you have ever dreamed of having a treehouse, a pool, a slide, and more in your house but gave it all up because grown-ups can’t have fun, then do I have good news for you! PLA2 is a luxury house is made to incorporate the most fun activities – both indoor and outdoor – into its architecture and interior design. It is an extension of the Z9 resort in Thailand and therefore the holiday vibe is continued with PLA2. The floating villa lets you enjoy water rafting, karaoke, laze by the pool or sleep in the giant net over the water while still living in a modern structure.

PLA2 is close to the Z9 resort so all necessary supplies come from there. The slides and sloped stargazing beds are perfect for people of all ages to have their dream camping night. The team also plans to include a large movie screen for private screenings at the villa. The theme was inspired by active elements and words like dynamic, moving, energy, and vitality which resonates through the structure.

The exterior is inspired by the local fish which can be seen in the rounded curves of the cladding. The shape has two abstract volumes that echo the anatomies of a male and female snake-head fish swimming together. Males are smaller in size, and fresher in color, while females are larger and darker – hence the differences in tone and size observed in each spatial block. The main structure has a balloon frame to make the construction more dispersed and lighter in weight. It includes a water storage system a tugboat, and a backup generator for electricity in case the Z9 Resort can’t be accessed for supplies.

Just like the fish that swim together, the space is designed to blend in with each other in a harmonious flow both internally and externally. The rooms can be all opened up into one space during the day to make most of the natural light and wind while at night they can be separated to create sleeping zones and privacy. Nautical details inspired by submarines can be seen in the door handles or circular windows.

Wood and steel are the main materials used for construction. There are two different shades of wood – reflecting the female/male distinction. Each wooden volume is then punctuated by rusty-looking etched steel frames on the front façades, evoking the gills of the snake-head fish when its mouth opens up. To further illustrate freshwater life, the outdoor pool stands out with its light blue tone while darker and more sandy colors accentuate the interiors – from the bedroom suite to the entrance hall and gathering space. PLA2 incorporates all the fun activities while paying tribute to the local ecosystem beautifully!

Designer: Dersyn Studio

The post This luxury holiday home is every grown-up & child’s dream with an architecture designed to deliver ultimate fun! first appeared on Yanko Design.

The world’s first solar-powered luxury yacht is actually a floating villa worth $10.5 million!

Posted on 09/09/2021 by Chi Thukral

Do you also think about living in a modern luxury villa that is also a yacht powered by solar panels so you can lead the ultimate sustainable lifestyle of your dreams? Me too, and lucky for us (if being lucky also includes the $5.5 million base model cost) Waterstudio.NL and a Miami-based shipping company called Arkup have designed this insane dreamboat – literally! Called the Arkup 75, this flagship product combines luxury with off-the-grid living.

Arkup 75 lets you live in comfort and luxury in total autonomy – enjoy life between the sea, the sky, and the city. The 75 feet long yacht has a total living space of 4,350 sqft!

Arkup is a game-changer for the hospitality market when it comes to self-sustainable, blue developments. floating and overwater eco-resorts a reality with the versatility to scale, configure, even relocate. “We are revolutionizing life on the water. We leverage Arkup products and expertise for fast deployment, modular, floating communities that you scale according to market demands,” says the team.

The livable villa has 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, a giant living space, a spacious kitchen, and a sliding deck all divided between two levels. It also has a rainwater harvesting system and solar panels so let you live off the grid comfortably!

Arkup livable yachts combine the best attributes of yachts, floating houses, and waterfront villas, with the added benefits of being self-sufficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. The Arkup livable yacht was conceived to be “future-proof”, from its ability to withstand or avoid extreme weather events to its self-contained systems that allow fully off-the-grid living.

The base model will cost $5.5 million and will come with the core amenities as well as the furniture but if you want a fully specced out version, the Arkup 75 can go well up to $10.5 million!

It is built to be energy efficient and incorporate a sustainable lifestyle with technology and systems in place like multiple solar panels on the roof and an intricate rainwater harvesting system with two 4000 gallon water tanks.

It also is modular and has stilts in case you want to dock your luxury home in the shallow waters of a remote island instead of drifting along the skyline of a big city.

The 2,300 sqft roof collects the rainwater and is covered with 36 kW solar electric panels which generate sufficient green energy to live off-the-grid. Live ecologically while being self-sufficient with water and electricity. Enjoy living off the grid and feel the satisfaction of minimizing your carbon footprint.

The smart communications system including satellite TV and WI-FI antennas, LTE, and VHF to stay connected at all times.

Rainwater is collected from the roof, then stored in the hull and purified to ensure freshwater full-autonomy. The hull also accommodates separate technical rooms for hydraulic, electrical, and storage room.

The 2,300 sqft roof is covered with 36 kW solar electric panels which generate sufficient green energy to live off-the-grid.

Two noise-free electric thrusters of 136 hp each rotate 180° for the best maneuverability to propel the yacht up to 5 knots.

The four 40ft long hydraulic legs allow to anchor in up to 20ft water depths and lift the livable yacht above the sea level.

Arkup 75 is also designed to be resistant against category 4 hurricane winds and have high insulation so that you can choose to live your best remote/flexible lifestyle in different climates while being safe.

The 456 sqft retractable terrace adds plenty of outdoor space and is surrounded by shock resistant glass railings. The sun deck located at the stern can be immersed, turning into a sea pool.

Designer: Waterstudio.NL