Nele Mortelmans

The Floating.Farm is situated at the winter bedding, close to the Belgian bank of the Meuse off Maasmechelen. The bank of the Meuse has a characteristic plane, open and fertile scenery, but where, because of the flooding danger, building is not allowed.
The typology of the Floating.Farm is comparable to an ark: the building hides beneath the surface at low tide ,so the open and beautiful scenery of the bank will be preserved. At high tide the winter bedding overflows and the water will lift the building to the surface.
In this way the building integrates completely in his environment.
To let the entirety float, we chose for a steel construction on top of a steel caisson, the building is actually conceived as a boat. Like this a total different scenery arises. The appearance of the building will depend on the seasons just like the Meuse.
This ARKitecture can be applied for more functions throughout the whole area.

The Floating.Farm is a care farm for problem children, a home and a farm shop. You can enter the building in two ways, via a ramp you can see the whole operation of the building. This is more an experience route, while the staircase serves as a shortcut for the staff, because of its direct access to the workshop-spaces.
During the making of the floorplan we took into account the good operation and flexibility, but especially the environment, light and air.
This results in a liveable and comfortable environment, even when the building is situated under the ground. The cut-outs of the patios in the scenery are so determined that throughout the whole year enough light can invade, responding on the change of the seasons and water level.

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