In a city characterized by fast population growth, Amsterdam residents are beginning to entertain alternative living situations. Enter Schoonschip, a sustainable floating neighborhood located on the Johan van Hasselt Canal in a former industrial area. Local architecture firm i29 has created a striking floating home with a small footprint inside the community.
The residence aligns with the ideals of the entire self-sufficient neighborhood, which is currently home to over 100 people. Schoonschip is designed to employ circular building practices while respecting the natural environment. At its heart, the neighborhood utilizes a shared smart grid (or “smart jetty”) that connects the energy, waste and water lines of each floating house. The neighborhood is energy self-sufficient and recovers nutrients from surrounding organic waste streams.
“The location has a strong industrial past but today it is one of the most rapid changing city parts of Amsterdam transforming into a more multi functional living area,” i29 said. “The new floating neighborhood is intended to be an urban ecosystem embedded within the fabric of the city: making full use of ambient energy and water for use and re-use, cycling nutrients and minimizing waste, plus creating space for natural biodiversity.” Residents take full advantage of the canal with designated water plots, allowing each home to have its own personal touch.
With the freedom to choose their own architect and interior designers despite the uniformity of the urban plan, the owners of the i29 floating home had their visions brought to life with a unique design and aesthetic that also maximized the plot space.
Water views are available directly from the basement, and a separate terrace sits just above water level. The exterior is clad in black-stained timber while the interior provides a sharp contrast with white walls, clean lines and accents of natural wood. Towering skylights give the home an exceptionally bright, airy feeling while also providing plenty of harbor views from multiple points. Mimicking the overall design aspect of the neighborhood, which connects each home via jetty, the i29 floating home connects each of its three levels through a central atrium.
Source: https://inhabitat.com/this-home-floats-in-a-self-sufficient-amsterdam-neighborhood/
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