The Watervilla

Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger says traditional houseboats were his inspiration, but notes that, as places to live, they're uncomfortable. His Watervilla – more a house than a boat – rests on a hexagonal frame of steel tubes roughly two metres in diameter. This not only keeps the house stable even in the rough waters of the North Sea, but also allows it to drift at will. The base supports a three-storey structure, containing three bedrooms, a bathroom, a living/dining room and a kitchen, and a large open space on the top level that can be used as an office or spare bedroom. An eight-metre-long gangway provides access from shore.

Obviously, it's possible to navigate the Watervilla, and it can rotate 90 degrees to capture the best solar orientation, but it doesn't have many high-tech systems in order to keep costs down.