Uau Studio reinterprets ‘The Betrothed’ batèl as a floating house
Lucia by uau studio is designed as a lightweight floating who resides in Lake Como Italydrawing inspiration from the batèl, a traditional fishing boat mentioned in Alessandro Manzoni’s The Betrothed. With a white, streamlined silhouette, the structure acts as a mobile small-home which moves across the lake, allowing shifts in position within the landscape.
The project reinterprets the batèl through a contemporary architectural language, combining mobility with compact domestic functions. Operation within a 25 sq.m footprint, Lucia is organized as a single living space designed for flexible use, including short stays and temporary hospitality functions. The layout prioritizes efficiency through multi-functional and customizable interior data.
The flat bottom structure and electric propulsion system support navigation while reducing reliance on conventional engine systems. A folding one roof The mechanism allows variation between openness and privacy, allowing for different spatial conditions depending on use and context. The interior incorporates locally sourced and recycled materials, including birch plywood panels and recycled pond materials, which are part of a materials strategy focused on reuse. The furniture elements are designed as modular and multifunctional components that respond to different home configurations. The interior design follows an approach focused on accessibility, with a single-floor layout that ensures barrier-free circulation throughout the space.
all images courtesy of wow studio
Lucia’s solar-powered connection nodes support lake life
Lake Como provides the geographical and cultural context for the project, set in an area known for its well-established hospitality infrastructure and lake-based settlements. Within this arrangement, Lucia is connected to a wider system of mooring points called the ‘Darsena Link’, distributed along the coastline. These platforms act as infrastructural extensions of existing villages and combine multiple functions such as energy production, cultural exchange and recreational use. Program elements include solar charging stations, public gathering spaces, access to water sports and small-scale markets, organized according to principles of energy self-sufficiency, zero land use, social exchange and productive landscape integration.
Regarding historical lake trade and fishing practices, Lucia by uau studio expands the role of traditional vessels as agents of movement and exchange. In this context, the project positions floating housing as a contemporary adaptation of lake life, linking mobility, domestic space and landscape interaction into a unified system.
a white silhouette moves across the lake as a mobile home
a flat-bottomed hull supports movement along the water
the retractable roof adjusts between openness and privacy
