Floating house breaks up when its owners do

Deciding what to do with the house is a pretty stressful issue for home-owning couples to sort out if they separate. A conceptual home dubbed Prenuptial Housing could take the sting out of the process. Taking the view that love doesn't last forever, the floating home splits when its owners do.

The idea for Prenuptial Housing came to PR guy Omar Kbiri while he was hunting for a home with his girlfriend. He enlisted Dutch firm Studio OBA to help design a home that can capitalize on all those marriages and relationships that end up in divorce.

A couple would buy the house, then should they break up, they would be able to say their goodbyes, detach their half of the house, and simply float away with their now smaller pad. Should Cupid strike again, two homes of the same type could be joined together in the future.

Though the team is hoping to eventually produce a prototype and bring a model to market, this one is still very much in the concept stage. Many of the practicalities of building a floating house that can be split into two are yet to be worked out, including how it would get its power and the issue of needing two of most things; kitchens, master bedrooms, front doors, etc.

Studio OBA told us that the home would float atop pontoons and feature a modular interlocking design that could be easily separated. Measurements and the number of rooms would be flexible and depend on what the owners required. Perhaps the firm could design a larger family model that lets the kids leave the nest with a starter home, too. Construction-wise, Prenuptial Housing would be prefabricated and comprise lightweight carbon fiber and timber.

Flexible housing for the Tinder generation or a bleak comment on the state of modern relationships? Let us know what you think, and we'll let you know if this one ever leaves the drawing board.

Source: Studio OBA