WATERVILLA DE OMVAL | Amsterdam | +31Architects

This tautly designed houseboat floats in the Amstel river of Amsterdam.
The design has, unlike most floating houses, a very contemporary design without losing the characteristic appearance of the typical houseboat.

Living on the water gets more and more popular in Holland. The clients/ owners who come to our office always love the typical charms and characteristics of living on the water but don’t like the standard “caravan” appearance of the existing houseboats. More and more people want to live on a contemporary houseboat that has been designed for their specific needs, the houseboat at De Omval is an obvious example of this wish.

The clients wanted a boat with an open floor plan where they could enjoy the views to the water and the outdoor space to a maximum. The distinguished curved line of the facade directly derives from this desire and the restriction that the boat couldn’t be more than three meters above the water.

The living area and open kitchen are located on the waterfront, from here one has a panoramic view at the Amstel and you can enter the floating terrace. Following on from the living area and kitchen the bedroom is located on a split level. The split level introduces an open route to the ground floor of the boat and, at the same time, makes it possible to create a terrace on the south side without exceeding the maximum building height.

To accentuate the round lines of the facade it is carried out in with shiny aluminum.
The white plastered walls and ceilings follow the curve of the facade creating a seamless transition from the exterior to the interior....more
Location:Amsterdam
Client:Particulier
Architect:J. Suasso de Lima de Prado J. Houwert
Area:200m2
Delivery:2010
Building contractor:Ardesch/Dijkhuis groep
Photographer:Colin Morsch

WATERVILLA AMSTELDIJK |Amsterdam | +31 Architects

This watervilla was designed for two clients who both wanted an individual house for them selves. The houseboat has two levels, the upper level which has a frame around glides above the basement. The living area in both houses is situated at the ground floor, the bathrooms and sleeping rooms are in the basement.
A remarkable detail is the terrace been situated between both houses. The terrace does not only give access to the individual houses but is a clear answer to the strict regulations that are made for the Amstel quay area: the façade seen from the quay is regulated to a maximum of 60 m2. The void that appears could be excluded from the calculation which made it possible to extend the watervilla and to have a substantial amount of extra space in the basement. The large windows at the waterside offer an unobstructed view from the living rooms onto the open water. The side of the quay is closed towards the streets area. The wooden gladding of western red cedar is assembled with in two different sizes. The horizontal placement of the gladding emphasizes the length of the watervilla.
Daylight in the basement enters through a fine detailed, 40 cm high, continuous stroke of windows just above the waterline. Due to this the top floor seems to float above the water. To underline this effect the upper level is framed by a black continuous roof and floor line.Above the terrace a gap has been made in the roof so the clients can enjoy the sunlight......more

Location : Amsterdam
Address: Amsteldijk
Client:Particulier
Architect:J. Suasso de Lima de Prado J. Houwert
Area:218m2
Delivery:2007
Building contractor:EMK Lelystad
Photographer:Iwan Baan