Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

'O' de Squisito Boat House

This is a project by X Architects and it is located at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. There are six images for 'O' de Squisito Boat House.

: © X Architects

Project images

Designer's statement

The floating boat house is designed with a clear lifestyle in mind, that of beauty, relaxation and enjoyment. With this mindset the client’s dream of a home on water was designed to take the advantages of creek views and the healthy intake of the fresh evening air from the roof deck. The project was commissioned by Leen Vandaele, a prominent Belgian interior designer based in Dubai as a live work space to reflect her character.

The house boat is an attempt to introduce architectural sensibilities into a nautical theme to create a sea-faring home. With its clean bold lines, this simple and streamlined structure of 20 x 6.7m includes an upper deck containing a concealed kitchen, living room and an entertainment room housing a grand piano.

The fundamental structure of the floating home is created from two catamaran beams with stainless steel and glass as enclosures. Developing a minimalist design for a boat is a complex task involving clever detailing to accommodate the expansion and movement unique to marine vessels. Delivering such a difficult design involved close collaboration with the fabrication team and a constant feedback to inform the design team about real time constraints.

The interiors with large unobstructed windows offer a panoramic view of the exterior, and are minimally decorated to reflect the lifestyle of the client. The generously sized external decks on the house boat allows for the interior to flow out and vice versa. The lower deck incorporates the bedrooms, bathroom and steering cabin. The two levels are connected through a spiral staircase which becomes an iconic feature of the exterior.