With concerns about rising sea levels and attractive land always in demand, there's something to be said for a house that floats on water. With this in mind, we highlight the best examples of floating homes we've seen so far – from a classic prefabricated houseboat to luxury models for the ultra-rich. And a floating egg.
While there's nothing new about living on the water, some architects reckon the practice should be more widespread. High-profile firm BIG offers floating student housing in Copenhagen with its Urban Rigger project, which is made up of shipping containers arranged on a floating base. More units are planned for Sweden, too.
Another interesting approach comes by way of Baca Architects and its amphibious home, the Formosa. The Formosa is located next to a river on a floodplain in England. Most of the time, it looks and behaves like a standard home, however when the floodwater rises, it floats in place, preventing it from being flooded.
It's when you set aside practical concerns that these homes get really fun though. Those with the means to spend massive amounts of money on a luxury floating house can literally sleep with the fishes in an underwater bedroom, as offered by the Floating Seahorse Signature Edition.
Hit the gallery to check out each of these models in full, along with the rest of our pick of the best floating homes – including some interesting concepts – from around the world.