When designing his new house, the architect Paul Wanzer, based in Seattle, decided to think of the box, but overall from the country. As headmaster at Hoshide Wanzer Architects + Interiors, he sat down with Dyna Builders to float a modern cubic volume on Portage Bay from Seattle. Its design inspiration? Pura Vida's Costarican philosophy, which emphasizes the connection with nature, simple joys and easy life.
All three of these principles are located in the two -wheel residential baths with a bedroom that replaced an aging houseboat that had occupied the slip for decades. The previous house was on an old growth trunk swimmer that probably came from the early 20th century, so Dyna built a brand new concrete float for Wanzer's new residence. The rectangular structure was then built in a shipyard before it was put into position.
Andrew Gammarco
The design team made the best of the 1,780 square meters available, which enabled the aqueous landscape almost unrestricted openness and at the same time recognized the need for privacy in such tight quarters. The dining and living areas on the main level are flanked by glass walls with blinds, shutters and screens, so that Wanzer can decide exactly how much transparency he wants at any time. And if he wants the entire privacy, the library can be fully included in the main area and serve as a break for seclusion, work or creative game.
The materials and colors were used throughout the house to maintain the nautical setting. White oak floors bring you from room to space where Bookmatched White Teak Case Work is an indication of the boat community. A cozy window seat in the primary bedroom on the upper floor now looks at a vegetated sedum roof and gives it another connection to nature.
Andrew Gammarco
A few important outdoor areas contribute to the life capacity of the small footprint. Telescopes of glass panes push up to connect the main living area with a small deck to grill, as well as a floating dock for kayaks and other watercraft. On the roofing deck, the deck on the roof offers plenty of space for outdoor food and lazing. The furniture is all movable, including the fireplace, which gives Wanzer the opportunity to reconfigure the setup if necessary.
While not all houseboats are as chic as this beauty in Portage Bay, pretty cool versions will occasionally appear for sale. A few years ago, a funky floating house hit the market for $ 4.9 million in California Santa Barbara, and in recent times a houseboat with two bedrooms with $ 4.7 million was listed not far from Wanzer's place in Seattle at the end of last year.
Click here to see all the photos of the home floating Seattle.
Authors
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Tori Latham