EVA architecten's wooden houseboat perches on canal in utrecht

eva architecten punctuates houseboat with slats and openings

Sited along the Merwede Canal in the Utrecht neighborhood of Rivierenwijk, EVA Architecten’s contemporary Houseboat opens freely onto the water and harbors an intimate relationship with greenery on the shore. The structure perches on a dark aluminum plinth while its facade is marked by a sequence of wooden slats punctuated by large glazed openings and black window frames, lending the floating home a robust character.

Inside, the Houseboat welcomes users with a fresh yet warm atmosphere imbued from its exposed wooden ceiling combined with walls and floors finished in light, natural tones. The plan centers around a core and distributes a series of open and enclosed spaces of varying sizes and heights for optimal living along the waters.

Houseboat offers canal-side living in residential Utrecht | all images courtesy of EVA Architecten

an idyllic floating home along merwede canal

The idyllic first floor of Houseboat opens out onto the canal with large sliding doors and a water-level terrace surrounded by greenery. Within, the design team at EVA Architecten arranges different spaces and functions within the open floor plan around a central core, each of which are defined by varying levels of enclosure and height. This naturally creates pockets of space in an interlocking program, which are closed off by a sliding door.

This feature not only allows the open space to be subdivided into small areas, but it also enhances circulation and connectivity for communal living or privacy. Among the zones is a cozy living room with an intimate atmosphere, and a kitchen next to which a deep seating niche strengthens the relationship between inside and outside.

the structure perches on a dark aluminum plinth and exudes a robust character

An additional level below the water arranges three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a technical room, and a large storage room. The space is infused with light through a large window positioned next to the staircase with a void. Here, EVA Architecten further maintain a strong connection with nature across Houseboat’s interior through integration an architectural flower box in the void space. Moreover, creating energy on site, solar panels have been lined along the roof which has been completed with a white finish to reduce its heating impact on the interior.

the facade is marked by a sequence of wooden slats and large glazed openings