The MetroShip. A Modern Luxury Houseboat For $250k.

The MetroShip by Ballinger & Co. is a modern houseboat, conceived of in London and hand-made in the USA, which also happens to be offered in this years' annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book as one of their legendary "Fantasy Gifts" for $250,000.




The 48ft x 12ft modern houseboat was inspired by the open plan of NY loft spaces and has 7 foot high interior ceilings. After 7 years of design & development, the floating modern retreat is completely outfitted with the finest appliances and furnishings including a Viking and Gaggenau kitchen, Italian marble bathroom vanity with Kohler shower, a Bang & Olufsen stereo sound system, Sony LCD HD tvs , Nintendo Wii, an LG washing machine and the W Hotel bed.




INTERIOR SPECS & PHOTO GALLERY:

Flooring: Armstrong single-piece waterproof vinyl wood flooring

Living Area: large open plan NYC loft style living for comfortable year-round living




Bedroom:
* oversized open plan bedroom with W Hotel bed
* Optional bedroom ‘pods’ available that rise up from floor level at the push of a button




Kitchen:
*Oversized island with hand-made white gloss cabinets
*Centrally located in the boat for better stability


Countertop:
* Faux-granite acrylic countertop
* ’green’ recycled faux-granite countertop optional

Appliances:
* Viking integrated fridge / freezer and dishwasher
* Gaggenau in-cabinet oven and electric cooktop
* Stainless steel sink with chrome mixing faucet
Bathroom:

*Italian curved-glass vanity
* Kohler frameless glass shower
* Sloan touchless water-conserving faucet
* Household style touch-flush lavatory


Laundry:
*LG steam all-in-one washer / dryer:

Heating / Air Conditioning:
* Remote-controlled (with thermostat) electric air with heater
Electrical:
* Solar-powered exterior LED lights
* Halogen interior downlighters
* Touch sensitive light switches
* Chrome power outlets


Audio / Visual:
* TV connections, satellite-ready, internet-ready
* HDTV projector for movies, computer or gaming
* Sony LCD flat screen TV
* Jamo Danish-made in-wall speakers
Sewage / Water :
* High pressure water pump
* High capacity tankless water heater
* Fresh water tank
* Holding septic tank with pumping system


EXTERIOR SPECS & PHOTO GALLERY:


Dimensions:
* 48ft length x 12ft width (beam) x 7ft (interior height)


* 12ft width (just under 12ft) makes the MetroShip easy to transport across the country without the need for an escort vehicle in most States:

Main Structure: Aluminum hull (optional Fiberglass or Steel Hull or Deep 'V' Aluminum Hull)

Frame / Walls: Maintenance-free aluminum grid wall construction


Floors:
* Aluminum frame with waterproof floor panels

Roof:
* Fiberglass single-piece roof system
* Roof deck is ready to be converted into additional outdoor living area
Windows:
* Double-glazed Low E premium windows in wood frame

Doors:
* Double-glazed Low E premium doors in wood frame:


Power:
* Optional 90HP or twin 60HP Honda outboard motors available
* Optional two transoms for two engine placement available
* Optional helm station available
* The MetroShip is built for comfortable living not speed


One of the Fantasy Gifts in the 2010 NM Christmas Book, below is the description from their catalog:

On the 50th anniversary of our His & Hers gifts, we present the ultimate romantic retreat: the MetroShip houseboat. With a 48-foot by 12-foot open floor plan and 7-foot-high interior ceiling, it has been designed and built as an intimate luxury loft that just happens to float. Richly appointed, it offers the best in comfort, technology, aesthetics–and portability.

Open and airy during the day with waterproof hardwood floors and double-glazed windows, at night it truly glows with sophistication thanks to maintenance-free translucent thermal aluminum walls. Inside, it's all about the two of you. Set the remote-control central air conditioning and heating, and put on some music. The living area includes a next-generation media center with Bang & Olufsen stereo, high-definition projector, Nintendo® WiiTM gaming console, and Sony® LCD flat-screen monitor for movies, computer, gaming, and Internet projection. Grab a bottle of wine from the gourmet kitchen island. It features handmade cabinets, a Viking® refrigerator/freezer and dishwasher, and GaggenauTM in-cabinet oven and cooktop.

Slip into something more comfortable in the spa bathroom with an Italian curved-glass vanity, touch-free faucet, and Kohler® frameless full-size shower. The high-capacity tankless water heater and LG steam washer/dryer come in handy–as does the roomy master suite with a luxury W Hotel bed. Not that you'll be in any hurry to get anywhere, but there are twin 60-horsepower Honda outboard engines. And when it's time to transport or dock, the lightweight aluminum hull and 12-foot width make it easy.

One His & Hers MetroShip Luxury Houseboat
Price: $250,000.00
item no. CBF11_04833
Call 1.877.9NM.GIFT for details.

Floating Houses: The Wave of The Future?

Pardon the pun, I honestly couldn't help myself.

Awhile back I did a post on hotels built on the water. Now I have found AquaDomi, a modular system of floating houses. Although the images are computer generated, apparently these are available and for sale, not prototypes.

AquaDomi has built cafes and restaurants using these design principles.
They describe themselves on their own site below (from the English version):
AquaDomi is the houseboat of the future, because it is module based and therefore gives the owner the possibility to create his own house, exactly the way he wants.
It is the goal of AquaDomi to deliver a unique and individual design, which fulfils the wishes and demands of both present and future.

The Noma is their newest line of floating houses ...
The Noma series is available in three models: 64 sq.m., 96 sq.m. et 160 sq.m.



The houseboats have a floor-to-ceiling height of 300/250 cm or 250/240 cm. Family Noma is the largest in the series. The Family Noma is ideal for a family with children or alternatively two families that wish to live together. The houseboat can also be used as a combined home and office. Family Noma is spacious and has many terraces. It is family-friendly for those who would like to live close to the water. The access to the houseboat goes through the terrace/court.

The two bedrooms each have an area of 16 sq.m. and are equipped with wardrobes. Each bedroom has its own terrace that is accessed through sliding doors. The kitchen is available in many colours and variations. It is centrally placed. AquaDomi offers a large variety of light, well-arranged quality kitchens with all modern equipment. The dining room and living room are connected to the kitchen and the arrangement offers many possibilities. The living rooms with large panoramic windows open to the smallest terrace, which is partly covered. There are two wonderful bathrooms with shower and two technical rooms for the technical installations. The total area of the house is 120 sq.m. The surface of the terraces is 4 x 8 sq.m. and 1 x 12 sq.m.

Model A160HB01 Family Noma.
The model is designed by Teodor Mikkelsen, Denmark.
The construction is based on AquaDomi's modular system.

AquaDomi concept as worded by them:
We have tried with AquaDomi to integrate a number of contrasts in one concept in order to unite the best of both worlds. It is a floating residence that combines the comfort and the spaciousness of the house with the boat’s location and mobility. AquaDomi is a product that combines unique architecture that is tailored for the owner’s individual needs, with the economic and quality advantages that a rational production offers.







The following holds true for most all their models:

Guarantee- 2 years with service inspection and 5 years right to submit complaints.

The floating restaurant is delivered and assembled on location, by the AquaDomi® service team. When everything is in place, a certificate for the logbook and the insurance/financing company is issued. Read more about delivery and maintenance here.

Delivery time is 3-4 months counting from the date of the order.

Choice of material: We will discuss the choice of materials with you, so that you at the end of the process have unique, waterborne restaurant – your and your customers' satisfaction.

All exterior materials are maintenance-free and need only washing once a year. Materials and profiles can vary according to your choice.

Infrastructure: The houseboat is connected to the public infrastructure for water, waste water, electricity, telephone, community antenna and internet.

See their e-catalog by clicking here.
Or a nice big pdf (English) here.

Into water related architecture? Then have I got some great posts for you!

•Floating Hotels and Offices

•Bouroullec Brothers Floating House

•The Underwater Poseidon Resort & H2Ome

•The Silverfish Floating Home