Part of Frank Lloyd Wright's success as an architect of small home design was his ability to "marry the architecture with the ground". To FLW, this meant a few techniques. First of all, "He designed his houses to suit the site rather than change the site to suit the house" (Maddex, p.23). The homes he designed looked like they came emerging from the ground, rather than being imposed upon it (As with the Walker House, built in Carmel, California, 1949 - See Image). He oriented the buildings according to the sun's path, existing landscape, and views.
This all makes sense to me. Why would you want to go through the trouble of scraping away the natural qualities of a site to superimpose your design? Would this not be a bit conceited to think your design of the site is better suited than the one God placed here eons ago?
So, what if a house was floating, or at the least hoovering, over water, rather than the ground? How exactly does one Marry to the Water?
Marriage, a sacred vow, would bind the architecture to the waterway in a compromising fashion. There should be a sense of equality that results, where not one feature overpowers the other, rather together both architecture and nature become a stronger force which could not exist if the two were alone.
The natural environment of a waterway is different that that on solid ground, therefore it would make sense that the architecture responds accordingly. Waterways can be dynamic; colors, form, smell, and sound adapting; yet it can be reassuring, with waves lapping at the shore to a constant beat. It can be sensitive, giving way to the slightest duress; yet it can be unforgiving, ravishing away at whatever it decides to cross. It is mysterious, with its depths unknown, yet it is predictable, always flowing in the path of least resistance. It is gentle, cradling life immersed in its depths; yet it can be treacherous, stealing away those unsuspecting.
One thing remains clear: floating architecture needs to be capable of handling both/and qualities - a hybrid of sentiments wrapped into one.
