Floating Houses Ijburg | Architectenbureau Marlies Rohmer

“Here, we have the ultimate freedom of the water. We have a comfortable detached house of our own, and the city centre of Amsterdam is only fifteen minutes away.” Residents of Waterbuurt-West live in exceptional houses in an exceptional neighbourhood, and they enjoy this situation to the full. The area has 158 waterside homes, 55 of which are individual floating houses. Unlike other well-known shoreline schemes such as that in the bay area of Sausalito (California, USA), Waterbuurt-West has a pronounced urban character with an integrally planned urban
design and architecture.

Waterbuurt-West is part of Amsterdam’s IJburg development zone which spreads over a number of artificial islands in the IJmeer lake. Residents of Waterbuurt who possess a boat (and there are many of them) can head for the historic inner city canals or open water, both within easy reach. A sluice separates the water on which the houses float from that of the IJmeer, so providing a calm internal pool of clean water.