Architecture

Floating house breaks up when its owners do

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Flexible housing for the Tinder generation or a bleak comment on the state of modern relationships?
Studio OBA
The home would float atop pontoons and feature a modular interlocking design that could be easily separated
Studio OBA
Flexible housing for the Tinder generation or a bleak comment on the state of modern relationships?
Studio OBA

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.

The home would float atop pontoons and feature a modular interlocking design that could be easily separated
Studio OBA

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

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7 comments
EyeMars
That is simply so depressing...
yawood
What an indictment of modern relationships. If you're going to start out with the expectation of a split then you probably will - it's like people not getting married because it's easier if they split! Spoken by someone who's been married for 44 years and is happier with the relationship than ever.
EverDiving
"Dad, I want a floating house!!!!" Check this out: modular floating house (for the entire family, group of friends, leisure business - restaurant, floating exercise classes, fishing, etc.)
http://gofriday.eu/
Only for people who do not want to break relationships, but instead strengthen them on the water :)
EverDiving
What about this (only for people how want to strengthen relationships :) Modular floating house (for the entire family, group of friends, fishing, restaurant, astronomic observations, hunting aquatic Pokemons, etc.)
http://gofriday.eu/
GlassHalfEmpty
Yep, relationships these days. Join houses, shag for a year, find a cuter neighbour, disconnect your house, connect to theirs. And so on. 40 years pass. Die childless, alone and with no legacy left behind. Very mosquito-like.
Ittledoo
My new philosophy keeps me from ever needing this kind of housing. I've decided that the next time I think about getting married, I'm just going to find a woman who hates me and buy her a house.
Lawnmowerman
Might be good for earthquake because of self--leveling and shearable base.