Country Pick 2017 / / Professional

Etcet Cat Floating House

• Company
  Guy Design, Finland
• Lead Designer
  Guy Lönngren
• Design Team
  Mats Lönngren
• Client
  Flytende Bolig
• Project Link
  view

Using the water as building ground has opened up a new
approach to design the shoreline. The Etcet Cat Floating
Houses aim to create areas with a positive architectural
identity for both public and private use.

The experience of using the Etcet Cat is built around having
a continuos visual connection to the sea. The large glass
front of the living room provides a generous view to the sea
and the terrace, as well as each space has a its own window.
The small movements of the house, light reflections and the
high degree of transparency create a unique experience.
The Etcet Cat is a flexible house providing a high degree of
freedom to arrange the interior space according to a needs
with movable walls. Etcet Cat can be used a permanent
home, summerhouse or a powerboat.

The Etcet Cat is specifically designed to suit the marine
environment. Fibre reinforced plastic is the natural building
material that is extremely whether resistant, light and rigid,
requiring low degree of maintenance. The house is based on
a catamaran hull that are separated into watertight
compartments. The hull, floor, walls and roof are
interconnected, creating a strong self-bearing skin
structure. An excellent level of isolation is provided by the
sandwich core.

Etcet Cat houses can be connected to communal networks,
but may also be highly self-sufficient. Designed to fulfil high
environmental standards, the optional rooftop solar panels
provide a significant amount energy, while the thermal
pumps generate heating.

The first Etcet Cat floating house was produced during 2015
and has been tested and used since then in Bergen, Norway.
The learnings from this prototype are being used in the next
phase of the project that is focussed on commercialisation.