There is a small white house floating lazily on the waters of Lake Tisza, Hungary.
Tamás Well, a Hungarian architect, designed Sneci (this is the name of the floating tiny house) with the declared objective of sustainability. The couple who commissioned Sneci are originally from Budapest.
The two buyers sought Bene to build a summer house that could enjoy the beauty of the lake of the great Hungarian plain.
A white lake snail
The beautiful tiny house which looks like a fishing boat sails very calmly, and on the other hand the name says it all. Sneci in Hungarian means “snail”. Coincidences? I don't think so: D
The goal was precisely that: Bene and his clients wanted a houseboat that could take them slowly through the curving waterways of Lake Tisza. A tiny house built for free time, to enjoy everyday life with the calm of fishermen.
The overall design of the boat is clearly and openly inspired by the fishing boat. Like the fishing boat it has a compact yet functional approach, and in this unusually comfortable guise.
Sneci, small size and adaptability
Managing to incorporate a small kitchen, dining area and double bed into Sneci's small space, Bene clad the boat's interior walls with thermoplastic wood and redwood. Because designers structure a fishing boat primarily around each fisherman's needs, the final vessel prioritizes practicality over aesthetics.
Hoping to find the right compromise between the two needs of aesthetics and functionality, Bene maintained the intrinsic minimalism of the houseboat. Sneci is a compact living space that integrates subtle nautical design accents for both the interior and exterior.
Most of Sneci's outer cladding and structure are constructed of aluminum and then covered with a nice white coating.
In addition to aluminium, for the “fishing boat” tiny house Bene used thermowood for the roof and the decking. Smaller portholes provide interior living space with lake views, and a larger floor-to-ceiling door provides fuller views and opens onto the houseboat's foredeck and the outdoor wonders of the reservoir.
House or fishing boat, it is still a… sunny place
For Sneci to blend perfectly with the natural context of Lake Tisza, the use of renewables was almost taken for granted.
Two solar panels line Sneci's roof and generate enough electricity to power the electrical equipment in the houseboat's tiny kitchen. Little but sure. A small refrigerator, chandeliers and a gas stove top are fully functional.
The kitchen sink does not require electricity as drinking water can be obtained via a foot pump that dispenses water from a 20 liter bottle.
We wanted to design a house with the philosophy of a fishing boat able to assimilate to this environment, which could become part of this scenario.
Tamás Well
With a contained water system, an energy-efficient source of electricity and a modular and compact living space, success was guaranteed.
