Luxurious Floating Home Makes the Most of Its Small Footprint on Lake Union in Seattle

This private floating residence on Lake Union in Seattle is one of the latest projects from <a href="http://www.vc-arch.com/residential/floating_desc.html" target="_blank">Vandeventer + Carlander Architects</a>. Despite its small footprint, the home makes use of its space, meeting the needs of the client for both living and entertaining. With spectacular views of the water and Seattle, the home also enjoys passive solar design, energy-efficient systems and low-maintenance materials.

Docked in the heart of the city on Lake Union, this floating home enjoys panoramic views south of downtown Seattle, Queen Anne Hill to the west, and Gas Works Park northward.

With no room to spare, the two story home has a compact waterprint and combines indoor and outdoor living with ease. The clients requested a home that was contemporary and would meet their needs for comfortable living and gracious entertaining.

The result is a design the turns the traditional floorplan upside down with the private rooms on the bottom floor and public spaces on the top. A spiral staircase leads up to the rooftop deck for even more glorious views.

Living on the water comes with its own sets of challenges, namely the effects of water on built structures. To minimize effects, <a href="http://www.vc-arch.com/" target="_blank">Vandeventer + Carlander Architects</a> designed the home to be low maintenance and durable, which includes the use of aluminum cladding and fiber cement panels for a rain screen.

Inside interior materials were chosen for their color palette, which includes the use of light hued bamboo flooring.

Solar passive design, natural daylighting and ventilation all help reduce energy use within the home. Overhangs and sun shades protect the interior from overheating in the summer.

In addition, the home features a hydronic in-floor heating with an energy efficient heat pump system and a fresh air ventilation system with an energy saving heat exchanger.