Living in a floating house is similar to a permanent holiday. I’ve never had such an experience, but I can imagine that admiring an infinite lake every morning must be very relaxing. Spotted on homedsgn.com, X-Float is located in Rural Rd Kanchanaburi, Thailand and it was designed as an evolution of the traditional raft. The flat structure used for transportation on the water functioned like a model for the Agaligo Studio‘s architects who wanted to create something modern, flexible and functional. One issue had to be considered form the beginning- the balance in load, air, and water so that the building remains afloat and steady. Thus, the guests enjoy their stay without getting motion sickness. To ensure a smooth adherence, the floating house features a lightweight structure of steel framing, cladded with fiber cement siding and plywood. Situated at the river bend, all units are oriented such that their river views are maximized and such that they are as much as possible shielded from the harsh, tropical afternoon sunlight.
X-Float’s design reminds us of a raft, a primitive man-made floating platform, from 2 dimensional to 3 dimensional – to a livable unit. This makes it an intersection of vernacular and modern architecture.
