Photo: oceanbuilders.comThe idea of building homes on water is not new: in fact, there are at least a dozen startups that suggest this type of residences. What SeaPod brings new to the table is the promise of a luxurious, smart home that will also be affordable. The model proposed by Panama-based company Ocean Builders and designed by Koen Olthuis, the “world’s first aquatect,” and his team at Waterstudio, is billed as the first eco-restorative float house in the world, with multiple functionality. It uses over 1,688 cubic feet of air-filled steel tubes to float 2.2 meters above the waves, with the entire section underwater becoming, in time, an ecosystem for marine life.
The SeaPod will feature panoramic windows for 360-degree view. One unit will offer 73 square meters of living space spread across three and a half levels. The interior layout is simple. You have a living room; a kitchen with breakfast bar; a bedroom and a spa bathroom with jacuzzi and a climbing wall that takes you to the roof. There’s also a terrace and the possibility to add a “water patio”. The pod can accommodate two people on a permanent basis and two overnight guests.
The goal is to make the SeaPods self-sufficient at one point, but in an initial phase, they will probably rely on energy from the grid. The SeaPods will be smart homes, too. Pre-orders started in September, with prices ranging between $295,000 and $1.5 million for one unit.
P.V.
Photo: oceanbuilders.com
