Status of Bjarke Ingels’ houseboat
We have now been working on Bjarke Ingels’ houseboat for a few months. What has time really gone by? We have done a lot of demolition, and have gradually started the building phase. We have held a number of meetings regarding the technical details and the mechanical parts of the boat. A number of knowledgeable “boat people” have also been brought in to help the project along, since building a boat requires different things than building a house. They review ballast tanks, fresh water tanks, technical installations and the general condition of the boat. There are many things to consider on a boat – especially one of this size. We have chosen to replace the plumbing and electricity on the boat, so that it is in line with a modern home and the legal requirements that apply in the area.
Weight:
We were initially a little worried about adding weight to the boat. Some rather cool, but also slightly special solutions have been chosen. Eg. we have to install the beautiful tiles from Marok.dk on most decks/floors and this has challenged us a bit. From the start, we wanted a traditional concrete construction with underfloor heating, but soon found out that the concrete was far too heavy. We have now found a new solution, in significantly lighter materials without compromising on insulation and strength. The issues will be resolved as they arise and on a project like this, there will probably continue to be new issues to deal with.
Constructive work:
We try to transform a houseboat into a modern home, but at the same time we try to preserve some of the small parts that the boat was “born” with. On the lower deck (basement) we have started the ceiling work and here we try to “work with the boat” as far as possible. We are constantly working to find the materials and solutions that are most advantageous, as there are not many straight angles on a ship and we also constantly have to take thermal bridges and condensation into account. It sets e.g. requirements for the type of wood we use for ceiling formwork, vapor barrier and insulation. On the ground floor (ground deck) we have started to install new pipes and electricity in the floor so that we can have a floor cast. Afterwards, we will start with the walls.
Everything is moving forward and Bjarke Ingels’ houseboat will probably be super nice. The project manager Mr. Præstegaard tries to resolve all questions, problems and loose ends – he does it well! The next post will be about the solutions chosen, materials and the final expression…….stay turned!