Two Floating Lake Houses Surrounded by Stepping Stones And Beautiful Landscape

When a family home from the beautiful United Kingdom needed an expansion, that turned into a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of the small lake present on the property. There were actually three structures already present there but they didn’t really serve a purpose and they were also prone to flooding. Studio Hamish&Lyons replaced those with two new buildings which appear to be floating over the water. They managed to give this impression by giving the buildings slender steel structures and raising them on stilts.

Both structures are elevated above the water, leaving space to actually swim underneath
Both structures are elevated above the water, leaving space to actually swim underneath

The new structures are designed to create additional living spaces for the existing family house. They have very similar designs, with these really cool-looking roof that split in the middle and have a big skylight running through the center at the very top. This brings lots of sunlight into the interior and is a design strategy meant to allow the inhabitants to engage more with nature and their surroundings. The smaller of the two buildings serves as a guest house. It has a lovely living room and a kitchen, a hallway and a bedroom and a bathroom. Big windows connect it to the other structures on the site as well as with the lake and the vegetation around it.

A set of stairs goes down from the deck and connects to the stepping stones
A set of stairs goes down from the deck and connects to the stepping stones
The two new houses have a clear view of each other through the full-height windows
The two new houses have a clear view of each other through the full-height windows

The second building which is bigger in size contains the main family room, a big living space where everyone can spend time together and enjoy the scenery or go for a swim right there around the house. This floating house also has a bedroom and a bathroom. Both buildings can be opened up to each other and have a direct view of one another. they feature big sliding glass doors and there’s also access from the deck to a bunch of stepping stones over the lake. There’s also a glass bridge which connects the bigger building to the main family house.

The houses also connect to the main building via a deck and a glass bridge
The houses also connect to the main building via a deck and a glass bridge
The pavilion-like design and the openness of these houses allow for a very strong connection to the outdoors
The pavilion-like design and the openness of these houses allow for a very strong connection to the outdoors
The interior is minimalistic, the focus remaining on the views and the surroundings
The interior is minimalistic, the focus remaining on the views and the surroundings
The stepping stones are arranged in a curving path that leads across the lake
The stepping stones are arranged in a curving path that leads across the lake
The entire space around the houses was landscaped to create this almost perfect circle
The entire space around the houses was landscaped to create this almost perfect circle
The glass bridge connecting the two buildings is sheltered beneath the roof overhangs
The glass bridge connecting the two buildings is sheltered beneath the roof overhangs
The bridge is made entirely of glass with a very thin metal frame and goes straight across, linking the houses
The bridge is made entirely of glass with a very thin metal frame and goes straight across, linking the houses
The big skylight at the top of the roof fills the houses with natural sunlight and create a very fresh ambiance inside
The big skylight at the top of the roof fills the houses with natural sunlight and create a very fresh ambiance inside
The use of bricks for the exterior walls connect the new structures to the main existing house
The use of bricks for the exterior walls connect the new structures to the main existing house