Gallery: Beautiful Iceberg on the Balt...

You’ve dreamed of having a summer cabin settled along a lake, but did you ever imagine an escape placed directly on the water? Architect Daniel Andersson has envisioned a nouveau lake house that lets guests sleep with the fish — where the living space sits directly below the water’s surface and from above emerges an expansive roof deck. Andersson’s design came about when he was approached by his client, Ålands Hotell & Restaurangskola, to create a fresh concept able to attract more guests to a resort located on the Åland Islands in the Baltic Sea. What resulted was an incredible iceberg shaped building that sits beautifully on the waterscape and provokes onlookers to consider new, unconventional forms for living.

The concept is basically a houseboat that is partially submerged, using a series of pontoons at the base to stabilize the structure. A central day lit atrium allows access to both the below-water bedrooms, the roof deck and living spaces above water. The 60 square meter living space is very generous and uses shore powered cable. Being a summer cabin, one of the greatest benefits of the design is the ability of the water to regulate the building temperature, eliminating the need for central air conditioning. Moreover, the low profile of the design does not disrupt the surrounding natural beauty, and provides a fun little outlet that lets guests jump off the deck!

+ Daniel Andersson

via Design Milk and ArchDaily