The future of life in urban areas lies in unconventional living spaces.

For Kolja Stegemann and his girlfriend, Diana Brix, the future of life in urban areas lies in unconventional living spaces. Ones that exist on water, for example. What do the two of them need from a modern houseboat? That’s clear: functionality. Kolja commutes to his second home by bike. It takes 15 minutes to get from his apartment in an old building in Prenzlauer Berg to the place where he’s able to find calm and relaxation in the middle of the metropolis: a houseboat in Rummelsburg Bay.

The last stretch of the ride takes the entrepreneur through an old industrial harbor and across a simple wooden bridge. To the left are cutter vessels and motorboats. Three plain boxes are bobbing close to each other on the right, covered in black. “You can’t tell from the outside what these boats are about,” says Kolja, and smiles. The entrepreneur is familiar with the surprise effect the so-called FLODD boats have on visitors. (FLODD stands for “Floating Dutch Design” and is a concept conceived by the Dutch architect Bertjan Diphoorn.)

Kolja’s FLODD is in the center. When he visited for the first time a little over a year ago, he didn’t plan on using it for himself. The marketing consultant wanted to use the unique residence for his company, Suite.030, a placement portal for luxury apartments. When he came on board for the first time, his plans changed.

An expanse of smooth Spree river water, with the television tower on the horizon to the left and thick reeds on the right. In between a few boats, there are stand-up paddlers in the distance. Herons, grebes and swans are resting right next to the bridge, which also serves as a patio to the swimming house.

Just like many elements of the houseboat, the living area can be functionally rearranged, based on what Kolja, Diana or their guests need at any given time. If somebody wants to spend the night, Kolja cranks a second bed down from the wall. It’s practical, and it looks good – just like everything else on the FLODD.

Coherence and harmony. I have seen apartments that had 1,000 feet but not a single corner that felt comfortable. And I have seen spaces that were smaller than 50 square feet and that radiated a cozy atmosphere. I think the space always transmits the feeling. Putting a great piece of furniture in it or having a great view is not enough. What matters is the whole – just like on this boat. The design is a statement, for the sole reason of being completely black inside. But the dark color adds a particular feeling of containment to the space – and it brings a more significant meaning to the outside. It invites a look through the window. I sit in here and automatically feel as if I am inside a television and the world takes place in front of it. This is my theater. I can really let myself drop into the scenery. The space contains me. It’s non-intrusive. It leaves me alone and yet it holds me. That’s why this space is almost perfect for me.

Oh, there are so many beautiful moments! I especially like the swan couple we have been observing since the spring – how they build their nest and take care of it, how the male keeps bringing new construction elements and the female looks at everything and picks out what will fit and what, for whatever reason, won’t. You can even relate it to your own personal life (laughs). It really is nice to watch. By now, the baby has hatched but it’s still gray. And all three are part of the setting here now.

When I’m idle. You can sit here for a long time and just watch. And when I cook - the view is simply amazing then. Of course, the kitchen here is great anyway. Open kitchens are certainly a sign of the times. They make sense. They make things incredibly communicative, especially when you have guests, like we did recently for Diana’s birthday. The people were in the living room and on the patio and they were chatting, and I was cooking and still part of the conversation. Even in the kitchen you are always part of the whole here.

I appreciate how intelligently and flexibly everything is combined and connected here. All is one, but with small changes, each room can have its own space. We have a living room, an open kitchen, a sleeping area that can be private or totally open thanks to two swinging doors. One of them is also the door to the shower. I can close it, or leave it open and look directly into the reeds while the water is running.

No. On the contrary. Everything is here. A lot is multi-functional; everything is very practical. And I have even more here than in our other apartment in Prenzlauer Berg: the water right outside, the sun, the patio, and a fireplace. All the luxuries you could ask for are combined in a tiny space here.

Good question (laughs). I think many different people. Definitely my father. He and I share a passion for good design. And my grandfather, who was a professor of static engineering and architecture in Berlin. He engaged a lot with modern, organic and ecological building methods. In collaboration with him, I implemented the tree house project in Zehlendorf, which was another fascinating new form of living near nature.

I think especially in big cities everyone eventually reaches a point where they notice, I need a break, or, I need to leave the bustle for a while. And as a couple with a dog, this was especially important to us. Diana has been proclaiming for a long time that we need to leave once in a while, to have a place of refuge.

Definitely. People always say that Berlin is such a green city full of water. But in everyday life, as opposed to Venice for example, you don’t really notice it. Life doesn’t actually happen on water – not yet. And I hope this changes.

Absolutely. Every big city eventually reaches its limits. In Berlin, we are luckily still far away from this currently. But that this place would become inhabitable was unthinkable even just a few years ago. Rummelsburg Bay was, to quote the lovely people from Cologne, simply de schael Siek – or “the wrong side.” It was industrial here. There were heavy metal plants and a lot of pollution was channelled into the Spree river unfiltered. And here comes this Dutch architect, who of course is used to living on water in Amsterdam, and completely rediscovers this area and its potential.

Definitely. I consider him a pioneer in Berlin. There were always ideas for sport boats that you can live in. But this is really something new. He didn’t merely focus on functionality. He also wanted to create an attitude towards life through his boats and their design. He succeeded.

Well, maybe a little. We definitely discovered something new for ourselves. And I notice even in my circle of friends that the boat is receiving a lot of approval and that it’s inspiring amazement. The consistency with which the design was implemented is unparalleled. That’s a great feeling for us.

I think I’ll always be a city person. I definitely enjoy it. I live in a big city because I like it and want to enjoy its variety. And yes, I also feel like a city person when I’m here – but here, I notice that edge. The edge to coming down. By bike, it takes me 15 minutes to get here from Alexanderplatz. And after I arrive, it takes another 15 minutes before I’m in vacation mode.

I think so, definitely. We often discuss that in my circle of friends. Water has this quality that can ground you immediately when you’re feeling high-strung. You get the feeling that you’re away from everyday life and away from stress. Vacation mode doesn’t just come from the water, but also from the overall environment: the view, the sun, the light and nature.

The boat actually came to us. A friend acquired the FLODD next door and told us about a second available boat. He asked me if I was interested in renting out the FLODDs through Suite.030. And later, I fell a little bit in love with this place and thought, maybe it’s possible to combine the good with the useful, the professional with the personal. And now, Diana and I are using the boat as a steady place of refuge.

No, I always discuss things like that. In this case, I discuss with Diana, of course, because we need to ensure that we both feel comfortable here.

I don’t know if lifestyle is really something that defines me. But among all the luxury objects at Suite.030, something like FLODD has become particularly important to me. It’s a fun object – and something that probably makes us more approachable, too. Everybody has an opinion about the boat and everybody can relate to it. And that’s what makes it fun for me – to encourage people to think about their living spaces. What do we need anyway? Here, we have everything we need. Less luxury than comfort, which is important to us personally.