Land-based living is so last millennium—at least according to the creators of the Waterpod, a barge that for four artists will serve as a self-sustainable floating home for five months, beginning this Saturday, June 13. The 30- by 100-foot barge will be towed from the Brooklyn Navy Yard to a pier in South Street Seaport, on the lower east edge of Manhattan. The project, led by a sculptor-photographer from Queens, is a step towards eco-friendly housing that can adapt to a changing climate.
The pod is constructed out of repurposed wood, metal and other materials on top of the barge, and a garden and flock of chickens will provide food for everyone on board. Inhabitants will power their own appliances, such as laptops, with a wind turbine and an electricity-producing bicycle. And there are four main areas on the Waterpod, including one for community building, one containing the bedrooms, another for producing power and food, and the last for cooking and showering.
We love the idea of a self-sufficient, floating shelter but have to wonder: What happens if you’re prone to sea sickness?
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Image: Courtesy of Waterpod Project
June 12th, 2009 at 11:56 am
wouldn’t it make sense to install solar panels on the barge? It should have direct sunlight most of the day making it more effective than on many homes.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
If they get seasick on a barge floating in a port, then they do have problems.
June 13th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Indeed Tomato Addict. The barge has 2kW of solar on the roof. You can see more about the systems at http://www.appropedia.org/Waterpod.
June 27th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Well put blog Will come back again soon.