This Cork Houseboat in the Netherlands Floats a Strategy for Sustainable Building

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Project Details:

Location: Leiden, Netherlands

Architect: Studio RAP/@studio.rap

Photographer: Riccardo de Vecchi/ @riccardodevecchi.photo

From the Architect: "Our client asked us to design an innovative and sustainable floating home along the picturesque canals in the historical city of Leiden (NL). Our design for the main mass is based on the idea that the house could be a series of atmospheres representing functions of living without it appearing like a single floating container. Taking this as the starting point for the design, a series of smaller modules were designed and rotated toward the lush nature on the opposite side of the canal. Afterward, extra panels were added in between the modules and folded, creating intricate 3D-corrugated walls and a roof.

"The non-standard structure of this floating home was inspired by origami principles and folded structures. This results in greater spans with less material than more conventional forms of structure. This load-bearing structure was completely realized in cross-laminated timber (CLT), a solid timber and bio-based material that was left exposed as the interior finish. In close collaboration with the structural engineer, folds were designed and parametrically optimized for the walls and roof that resulted in a reduction more than two tons of timber.

"The timber structure is solely clad in cork: a low-density insulation layer and a high-density outer layer bonded by a mortar layer, creating walls that breathe with a healthy and comfortable interior climate as a result. The expanded cork used in this project is a pure plant-based material with a unique ecological original giving the building an exceptionally low carbon footprint. Cork is also a great material to manufacture digitally. All cork modules were CNC machined, creating neat seams between them and bespoke window details.

"All phases of this project have been realized fully digitally, from design to realization. Directly from its digital design, all digital production data for the CLT and cork was made and structural calculations were done. The advantage of a solely digital workflow is that everything remains digital, and therefore, variable, making it possible to do changes without any problems until late in the realization process. In this way, different design scenarios can easily be tested for planning, technical, and financial feasibility. Sustainability was central in this digital workflow and guided most design decisions. In this way, the project aspires to push the industry further with sustainable architecture and look beyond the use of conventional construction materials and methods."