Lausitz Resort, Floating Houses, Geierswalde, D
What has a long tradition in other countries will become a trademark for the future in the Lusatian Lakeland: innovative living on the water.
For two decades, the former lignite mining area of Koschen has been the focus of landscape redevelopment. The International Building Exhibition Fürst-Pückler-Land 2000-2010 launched various projects that make the landscape worth living and usable again and at the same time make the past tangible. A huge lake landscape with canals was created. It offers the local people a high recreational value and attracts numerous tourists. The floating houses of Geierswalde play a special role. In the wind-protected southwest of the artificial lake of the same name, the Lausitz Resort bridges the gap between the world of water adventure and living.
Project data
Draft
WIL/DESIGN, Finsterwalde, Germany
Client
St37 Wilde & Wilde GbR, Dresden, Germany
Developer
steeltec37, Berlin, Germany
Construction
Wilde Metallbau GmbH, Massen, Germany
Products
usedGEWE-safe® made of GEWE-dur®, GEWE-therm® 3-fold
Glass supplier
Schollglas Technik GmbH Lübben, Germany
Open lightness with open living space
In the next few years, a total of 20 houses on the water and nine on land are planned, connected by a 24-meter-long shore leave bridge. At the 60-metre-long, winding jetty, the hydraulic structures dock offset. Its basic shape is based on a cube on which a side wall is replaced by a curved metal roof surface that extends to the ground. The association of a sail on the water is obvious – or, as it is lined up on the jetty, of a small fleet of ships. A continuous glass façade supports the visual lightness of the building. In combination with the open-plan interior, this allows for views in all directions. The lower level of the modular house is dedicated to supply with kitchen, dining area and bathroom, while the quieter areas, living and sleeping, are located above. An open staircase creates the connection to the spacious sun deck.
Clever design for flexible use
The prototype in steel construction, which can also be erected in a modified form in the countryside, was developed by the company steeltec37. The design was penned by the WIL/DESIGN office, and the houses are manufactured by Wilde Metallbau GmbH.
The modular design of the prototype allows for a flexible design of the 97-square-metre floor space. An unsinkable steel pontoon forms the foundation, above which rises a self-supporting frame construction made of steel rectangular tube profiles. The façade is also made of steel profiles. Their high glass content requires highly efficient thermal insulation and thus a real high-tech product. That’s why GEWE-therm® 3-fold thermal insulation glass from SCHOLLGLAS protects against the cold in winter and against overheating in summer. With achievable Ug values of up to 0.4 W/m2K, the insulating glass is neutral in view and transparency. The units consist of several discs one behind the other, between which there are spaces filled with noble gas. Inert gas is ideal for thermal insulation, as it has an insulating effect many times higher than air. In addition, there are thin precious metal coatings on the glass surfaces. They are protected in the space between the panes and ensure that long-wave heat rays are reflected outwards again, while short-wave rays are allowed into the room. This keeps the expensive heating energy in the room during the cold season and keeps the cold outside.
Energy-efficient construction
At the same time, when the sun is low, the warming rays can be easily and effectively used to warm the rooms behind them, which saves additional heating costs on cold days and provides more comfort. Superior slat sliding elements provide additional shade and privacy. In areas where these cannot be installed, “intelligent” glass provides privacy. At the touch of a button, it can be changed from transparent to milky. This is made possible by a liquid crystal film, whose crystals change from the ordered to the disordered and thus translucent state when power is supplied.
In an exposed scenic location, the “Wohn-Flotte” captivates with its glass charm, which is also evident at night when the light reflections of the houses dance on the water.
