Imagine living in a home that can travel the oceans! Well now, a Beijing-based architecture studio Crossboundaries has accomplished a full makeover of a boat to create a tiny solar-powered house named Fàng Sōng. Let’s check it out.
Image: Crossboundaries
Introducing Fàng Sōng, A Slow-Motion Travelling Nest!
The idea of having a refuge that has a high level of self-sufficient energy, as well as the option to move around, has grown around the world. Caravan sales have spiked in recent years and although they provide a good solution, Crossboundaries thought - ‘why not re-design a fully solar-powered motorboat with high-end tiny-home characteristics and create a slow-motion travelling nest?’
Sounds great to us! This tiny home on water, named ‘Fàng Sōng’, was originally a houseboat, transformed into a 60 square metre home and is moored in Berlin. It features a series of interlinked, adaptable spaces. According to Crossboundaries, Fàng Sōng is able to travel as far as 50 kilometres per day and is powered by solar panels!
Image: Crossboundaries
This Floating Tiny Home Is Powered By Solar Energy
"In essence, the project was a full makeover with the intention of maximising the benefits that the boat delivered," said studio co-founder Binke Lenhardt. “With enough space for up to two people as well as guests, it had the potential to easily become a personal retreat for re-energising, and a cosy getaway for friends and family.”
The owner of Fàng Sōng uses it to travel across lakes and rivers around Europe, often relying only on solar panels to power the trips — how dreamy! On sunny days, it achieves an average speed of seven kilometres an hour. There’s a set of solar panels covering the entire roof, as well as one additional panel on each side, which makes the boat self-reliant from March to November in Europe.
Image: Crossboundaries
Spacious & Functional Design With Limited Space
Tiny living is all about thoughtful design and making the most of limited space, so within the boat, Crossboundaries has incorporated multifunctional elements to create adaptable rooms. Each space features waterproof rubber flooring and furnishings made from plywood, with a red and yellow colour palette used throughout in reference to the Chinese imperial colours!
The home’s living area opens onto a deck with a fold-out bed hidden within a partition wall. In the centre of the living room, there’s even a floor panel to disguise an underfloor bike storage unit! We love all the crafty folding elements in the home to cleverly make use of the space and store as many belongings as possible, without clutter!
Mobile, on the water, self-sufficient, and spacious — we are super impressed by the Fàng Sōng tiny home!
Would you want to live in a tiny home on the ocean? Let us know in the comments!
For more stories about sustainable innovations from around the world, check out our Eco News category and the blogs below.
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