Situated on Lake Rosemound, this Southern Louisiana boathouse is a regional response to outdoor living. In many ways this structure can be interpreted as a detached porch. Equipped with two boat slips, a fish cleaning station, kitchen with gas grill, living and dining areas, outdoor shower, and ample storage, it allows family and guests to spend most of the day lakeside.
The green roof insulates the covered areas from the summer sun while providing an attractive, non-reflective, natural surface in order to enhance view from the main house, which sits on a bluff above the boathouse. The louvered walls provide privacy while capturing breezes. The shoo-fly fan system attached to the ceiling assists air movement without creating abundant noise.
The large framed openings highlight selected views and allow for a seamless connection between the boathouse and the surrounding context. The structure of the boathouse is a galvanized tube steel box truss that allows it to hover off the ground, supported at only six points, and cantilevered out over the water. The remaining materials are durable and low maintenance. As the boathouse stretches out over the water the outer skin transitions to a translucent material, which glows at night as a beacon for returning boats.