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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.

The pellet stove in the living area was a key element of the original brief, and the arrangement of the furniture in this space is a response to its placement. The interior lounge extends directly to an outside deck with a comfortable seating arrangement.

Even the floor conceals substantial storage—including space for a bike. “Many technical details had to be considered since working on a boat is a special challenge by itself,” explains Marianne.

The interior of the boat is arranged according to “permeability”, with rooms around the perimeter open to a circulation space that embraces exterior views and access to fresh air.

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.

The sofa in the living room features bright yellow Kvadrat upholstery and patterned cushions made from textiles collected by Marianne. It is part of a unit that functions to divide the space, conceal the fold-away bed, and provide extra storage.

Much of the interior—including the fold-away work desk—is characterised by the bold red and yellow color palette. “Marianne is not at all afraid of bold colors and suggested we try red,” explains architect Binke Lenhardt.

Color played an important role in the design, with red laminated plywood furniture and a vibrant yellow floor that conceals ample storage.

The control panel can be almost entirely concealed by a bed that can flip down to float above the technical instruments. “Marianne is extremely happy with this transformable approach, achieving a calmer sense of home by hiding the more technical elements of the boat,” says architect Binke Lenhardt.

A control panel in front of a large window houses all the technical equipment needed to operate the boat.

“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.

The original houseboat was already solar powered, however Crossboundaries added additional features—including additional solar panels and smart technology—to create a future-proof prototype for living on the water.