ABOUT
Floating house — or a houseboat if you will — PORT X is a universally usable building, moored in Prague's Holešovice district. It can become your holiday retreat, a venue for an inspiring corporate event, a place for an unusual private celebration, an exclusive showroom, and much more. And how did it all begin?
What is PORT X
It started as the initially secret project of progressive architects from the SAD studio, whose work has always been dancing around the border between architecture and design. PORT X became the embodiment of their vision of a somewhat futuristic object, which could be both a dream house on the water and a floating showroom.
„Sometimes it‘s about being in the right place at the right time. Or rather, meeting the right people at the right time… ” says the owner of PORT X Hana Otevřelová about how the project found its way to her through her husband Lukáš, and became a big part of not only her professional life since then.
A lot of water has passed by from the very first idea to the present day. The original intention to turn the houseboat into a floating showroom with a gallery has gradually transformed into a number of other potential ways to use the space. Even after years, PORT X still never fails to surprise us with its versatility whenever a new challenge comes along.
Interested in PORT X for more than just a work or leisure visit? You can actually get your own built. The molds that were used to make it still exist and can be filled with a well-thought-out polyurethane and fiberglass structure
— just for you.
Whether you are planning to come on holiday, organize a corporate event, get your own PORT X, or simply are an admirer of architecture, ships, and good functional design, you‘ll find more information and technical details about the building below.
An Extraordinary Amphibia
At first glance, it‘s clear that this isn‘t an ordinary houseboat as that‘d usually refer to a smaller floating building with its own drive and a cabin for accommodation. PORT X was primarily designed as a stationary type of spatially generous houseboat, designed for permanent anchoring at a given location. Moving on the water surface is possible with the help of towing equipment. Besides that, the building can also fully function as a house on land.
Design
The overall design of the PORT X building and its well-thought-out concept of self-supporting construction is undoubtedly one of the strongest aspects of the entire project. The construction is made of a composite sandwich, which is several layers of polyurethane, laminate and fiberglass, and thus provides a high degree of thermal insulation. The graceful, timeless PORT X curves were created by architects from the Czech, and internationally established, SAD studio.
Thanks to precisely processed natural materials and pleasantly elegant shapes, PORT X will subtly play around with the surroundings. „You should enjoy the place you‘re in,“ says one of the authors of the design, Adam Jirkal. And his colleague and co-author Jerry Koza adds: „The building connects to the environment. PORT X is low above water or terrain. The front part provides a pleasant light, while the rear offers a natural intimacy ”.
Segment plus Segment Equals Houseboat
PORT X consists of several segments — six in our case — that are manufactured and transported separately. Completion takes place at the destination using crane technology. Once the construction is finished, it can be dismantled again, and moved to a completely different location, be it on water or land.
The segments have the shape of the letter „C“ in cross section, so the floor, side wall and ceiling are connected. The internal space is divided by SDK partitions, while floor, ceiling and walls are lined with larch wood.
Built for The Perfect View
Panoramic French windows form one entire facade of the houseboat and allow not only a beautiful view of the water area, but also a convenient access to the terrace. There‘s an entrance door on the second facade that‘s facing the shore, sidewalls are made by tightly glazed windows. The roof skylights were added to illuminate the rooms even more and ensure good ventilation.
No Matter The Weather
In our specific case, heating is solved by a system of air conditioning units to cool the houseboat in summer and heat it in winter. However, depending on the intended location, heating can be solved by a number of other methods available to any other house. The same applies to other technologies providing waste, electricity, etc. Our houseboat is connected to the water, but also offers an additional tank. The waste tank must then be taken out regularly.
However, PORT X can also be turned into a completely self-sufficient object.
The construction allows the placement of solar collectors, which in combination with a backup source provide almost endless freedom when it comes to placement options.
If you‘d like to know more about PORT X, just let us know. We‘ll send you more information, answer your questions, and, in case you‘re seriously interested, we‘ll gladly meet you on board. You can reach us at hana@portx.cz or by calling +420 606 724 138.
