Living beautifully is not forbidden, and living in a house on the water is undoubtedly beautiful in every sense of the word.
Floating homes are rapidly gaining popularity in different parts of the world, for example in the Netherlands and on the west coast of the US. And as interest grows, at the recent Miamiboat show. a very unusual houseboat that is able to adapt to changing weather conditions, withstand hurricane force winds, natural disasters and travel at speeds of up to seven knots was unveiled at the recent Miami Yacht Show. But first things first.
This houseboat combines only the best of floating houses, coastal villas and superyachts.
The concept of the houseboat is reminiscent of a hut on chicken legs which is supported by hydraulic arms.
The principle is similar to the air suspension in the car with a forced change of ground clearance, when the simple act of pressing a button you can lower or raise the body, and in this case - the house. The main advantage of equipping a houseboat with hydraulic outriggers is easy to feel when you're in a rough bay. Towering above the water level, the houseboat is protected from large waves. The design withstands category four hurricane-force winds.
Startup Arkup announced plans to build a wind-resistant houseboat in 2017 after witnessing the devastating effects of the strongest hurricane «Irma», which destroyed hundreds of homes in Florida .
While reliability was the primary concern of the designers, they didn't sacrifice comfort for it. There's a lot of glass in the house that guarantees 360-degree views of the sea. The impact-resistant railing, also made of glass, still serves its direct function, but it doesn't interfere with the blue of the majestic panoramas.
The living room alone is 775 square feet, while the total interior living space is all of 2,600 square feet. The open-plan kitchen features Miele appliances and an island bar with an electric cooktop. The default floor plan has four bedrooms and multiple bathrooms, but variations are allowed based on client needs.
The house is finished with ecological materials. For example, Arkup has partnered with the Brazilian furniture brand Artefacto. The brand uses only wood from areas that will soon be undergoing planned reforestation, the roof of the houseboat is a full solar panel, and instead of a seawater desalination plant, it uses rainwater filtration technology.
«Urban growth and energy independence are key concerns for today's generation. Our solution is a unique, avant-garde concept for living on water»," Arkup said in a release.
The houseboat is equipped with two silent electric motors with 136 horsepower.
Pricing for the model starts at $5.4 million and goes up to $5.8 million for a fully furnished version.
Arkup's next goal is to build floating resorts. The only question is how feasible it is in the foreseeable future.
In conclusion, it is no accident that Miami was chosen as the location for the debut of the houseboat. According to scientists, southeast Florida should be considered one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change.
