Houses On Water

“The exterior paths and balconies were designed on-site,” Chrismar says. “We wanted a direct connection to the landscape.”

While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”

Life for the couple centers on an open kitchen-dining-living area. Nautical references are kept to a minimum, but a few touches nod toward the home’s habitat. A Rais wood-burning stove recalls a ship’s furnace; soft green and blue fiberglass Eames chairs echo the color of the sea, which is a constant presence thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass doors. The custom dining table sits beneath a sculptural Titania pendant by Alberto Meda. Their yellow Labrador, Buster, rests next to a Hay sofa.

The curved roof, a play off the hull of a ship, was inspired by a previous Atelier SAD home project in the Czech town of Liberec. Jerry Koza, along with engineer Tomas Kalhous and architect Adam Jirkal, spent years finding the right location and obtaining permissions. After the rigid approval process, they’re finally able to showcase the flexibility of the concept, which can range from a one-person dwelling to a family-sized float with a 1,076-square-foot floor plan and a 538-square-foot terrace.

This tiny not-home home is a floating sauna built by lighting designer Brendan Ravenhill. Most of the year, Brendan is in Los Angeles, but when he returns to his family’s homestead on Little Cranberry Island, a short boat ride southeast of Acadia National Park, he tends to personal projects like this little floating sauna -

The project was reconstructed from an old houseboat that was anchored in the sailing club in Smichov.

A team from the University of Coimbra in Portugal designed 'Floatwing'

Cedar slats mark the facade of the Worple's lakefront vacation home in Ontario.

A Saikai Kaico Japanese enamel kettle and hand thrown dishes by David Green Ceramics sit proudly in the galley kitchen.

The rooftop terrace overhangs the ground floor terrace, creating a covered outdoor area that is sheltered from the elements.