Collection by Robin WilliamsDorr
Favorites
Marianne likes to experiment with fabrics and patterns and, over the years, has collected textile samples from around the world. She used these fabrics in many of the furniture pieces—including the lounge on the outdoor deck—combining unusual colours and textures to create a unique aesthetic that celebrates her life experiences.
One particularly challenging part of the design was finding storage solutions for the beds and mattresses when not in use, as Marianne opposed the idea of foldable mattresses due to comfort concerns. In addition, everything moveable had to be able to be stored and fixed while the boat was moving, in case of extreme weather.
“Material quality and durability were key from the very beginning,” says architect Binke Lenhardt. “So, we found ourselves looking into a material library that was rather unconventional, almost in an engineering way.” The rubber flooring is from Noraplan and the adaptable furniture elements are made from two types of plywood—lightweight poplar plywood and a stronger multiplex birch—both coated with high-pressure laminate.
Crossboundaries treated the project as an opportunity to explore historic examples of mobile residences. In particular, they were fascinated by the more experimental work of avant-garde architectural group Archigram, which was known for creating concepts of lightweight, movable structures and modular technology.
The boat is moored in Stößensee on the western outskirts of Berlin, some distance from Marianne’s permanent home in the eastern part of the city. It enables her to explore nature at a slow pace. While it’s unable to take on oceans, the houseboat is able to travel through inland waterways, lakes, and rivers, where weather conditions are less extreme.
Client, Marianne, and architect, Binke Lendhardt, one of the founders of Crossboundaries, met in Beijing 15 years ago through mutual friends. When she bought the boat, Marianne wanted to bridge Eastern and Western concepts of design and so approached Crossboundaries. In keeping with this approach, the boat is named Fàng Sōng 放松—which translates from Chinese into “Relax!”—representing a link to Marianne’s life and experiences in China.