The Exbury Egg Is Unlike Any Houseboat You’ve Seen Before

A mobile office like this begs to have puns thrown at it till the roof caves in but the fact remains, it’s damn cool. This egg-shaped work of art doubling as a floatable living/work space has the unique ability to float down a lazy stream or open lake, tethering itself to wherever it may rest. An artist by trade, Stephen Turner created the egg as a response and a commentary on climate change. The structure rises and falls as the tide goes in and out, speaking to the gradual climb in ocean levels due to glacial melt. Turner has created a piece of infrastructure that is potentially immune to an impending natural catastrophe such as a flood, though he may need to add a stockpile of food and a small bed if he’s planning on an extended stay inside there.

Despite its unorthodox size and shape, the egg fits in well with its surroundings. 

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The egg is loosely tethered to the shore, and a floating dock allows for access at low and high tide.

The Exbury Egg

Openings such as this oculus bring an abundance of light into the eggs interior. Not a bad place for a siesta!

Exbury Egg

Over time, the exterior wood will develop a patina as it comes and goes with the tide, reinforcing its connection with nature.exbury-egg-3

 The egg’s skeletal structure is exposed on the interior, telling the inhabitants the story of its construction.

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 Seen here is a detail of the structural wood ribs, giving a nod to traditional ship-making techniques.

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Images by Nigel Rigden | h/t tiny house swoon

While the egg looks like a perfect specimen, like anything on this earth, it will develop some wear and tear from use. “It will take on the patina of 730 daily tides below the water line, and 365 days of weathering by wind, rain and bleaching by the sun above,” writes Stephen on his website.

For more on the Exbury Egg, visit: Stephen Turner’s Exbury Egg

 

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