This contemporary residence by Shipley Architects is ‘like a houseboat’ because it ‘floats’ above the ground atop steel beams. It is a sustainable project with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Status that was completed in 2008. It is located in Dallas, Texas, USA. One of the biggest challenges was the site’s poor soil quality. The property was once a landfill, and its weak, expansive soil has a low bearing capacity. But Shipley and his staff came up with a creative, cost-effective solution: They floated the house above the earth on steel beams supported by concrete piers. This siting method upped the home’s green quotient, due to its minimal disturbance of the land. The design team even managed to incorporate salvaged wood—2-inch-by-12-inch planks from the dance floor at the clients’ wedding—into the main floor frame.
