The Float House

: Moor Lane, Rickmansworth, WD31LF

As the great western canal winds it way northwest out of London, a linear community nestles itself along the south bank at Hampton hall in Ruislip. and is a co-operative with ancient riparian rights for 35 boats.

TiggColl was approached by the client to design a new bespoke home on the water to replace their existing canal barge, which lacked the living space and accessibility requirements for a growing family with changing health needs. Level access was central to the brief, as was having a home which sits above the water – unlike traditional canal barges, where the internal floor level is below the water line, leading to cold and damp conditions. Crucially, the family wished to remain within a co-operative of 35 houseboats at a private residential mooring at Hampton Hall Farm, in a beautiful but confined location. The elegant timber slatted superstructure is a highly functional design with a bespoke modular hull which allows the servicing of the boat without having to remove it completely from the water. Tigg Coll see the Float house as a potential prototype for living in difficult-to-reach and confined canal, river, or lake locations. This project highlights our dedication to creating unique designs that are sustainable and practical, harmonising with their specific natural surroundings.