The uniqueness of the house on water is in the fact that it can be in both states of rest and movement at the same time. Probably in some nearest future building on water will become a demanded type of support for residential architecture. The raft house is a compact round in shape closed construction, supported by pylons fixed on the square deck of the raft. It has been divided vertically on several functional areas – the deck itself is intended for the active day life, for socializing and has a control point of the raft. The open living area with a fireplace is marked between several pylons. The upper level is the place for sleeping. In contrast to the deck, it is a closed volume with two cabins, each with its own ladder from the lower level. The dynamism of the construction is created by inclined exterior pylons that connect two main levels of the house.
From the exterior the construction can remind a water measurer that slide on the water surface. If the round part of the house symbolizes the movement, the square deck represents the stillness, the quiet dock.
“….the Raft house by Vladimir Plotkin gives the impression of being elevated high above water and put on long and thin wooden “legs’ – as if a wooden house on piles has been taken out of water and put on a raft. It all looks quite unstable, but at the same time it floated and navigated very well. The walls of the cylindrical house has been assembled of delicately crossed wooden planks that move slowly and softly together with water in a wavelike manner, enhancing the feeling of the ephemeral nature of the whole structure. While observing the Raft house by Plotkin, one can think of many incredible constructions like the Tatlin tower or the diving board made back in Soviet times…”
Anastasia Syrova “Floating architecture” // ААН. 22.07.2008
