Floating House

The project assigned by Multiexportfoods consisted in developing habitability for the employees of the salmon culture centers in the channels of the XI region. The project had to consider shifts of 14 days of continued work, in almost complete isolation, with winds close to 180 km/hr and constant rains. It also had to be movable so that the harvest areas could be carried about. These were requirements from the environmental policies of the company. And the most important requisite was the minimal interference of the landscape and that the industry had to have a modern image, and standards of quality. In consequence, the proposal was a floating house more than a camp.
The plan was developed on two rectangular concrete casks of 14x9x3 each. These were constructed over platforms where a structure of steel cross linking, wood overlaid in the interior and recovered with metal boards prepainted to the outside.

On one of the casks, there were placed a power generator, processing of riles, a dining room and a kitchen that had to take care of the near culture centers. There were also placed offices branches for the external workers who do all the maintenance work and give other services to the industry. Connected by a bridge, in the other cask, are the offices, dorm rooms and living rooms for functionaries and the administration of the industry.

Because of the extreme conditions of isolation, the place has to generate its own energy and have the capacity of storing food, have an own water supply and control the remainders. In order to fulfill all these necessities, energy generators, desalination machines and a riel’s processor were placed in the industry. In this way the habitability was solved making the place absolutely self sufficient and not contaminant. To obtain a unitarian and monolithic image in both habitabilities, a metallic stiff board (done by an industry of the area) was done as cover and coating so to have a continued and watertight surface. The definition of the internal spaces was done in the same way. Ceiling and walls were covered with the same wooden pine board.

The project was full filled through an image of monolithic volumes with a prismatic cover like two rocks in the sea. In all the spaces there are empty spaces (as windows) in order to use the natural light and ventilation, and also to integrate the landscape.
The essential purpose of this habitability was to replace the working and recreational spaces that the users had in mainland or near of another habitable center.
The challenge of the assignment was to develop a naval project that had to solve different topics and regulations, different to any habitual architect project.

Photograph by: Multiexportfoods Company