Via www.inhabitat.com:

‘The Dutch have been fighting the rising and falling tides for centuries, building dikes and pumping water out of areas that are below sea level. Now, rather than fight the water infiltrating their land, the Dutch will use it as part of a new development called ‘New Water‘, which will feature the world’s first floating apartment complex, The Citadel. This new project was designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio in the Netherlands, and will use 25% less energy than a conventional building on land thanks to the use of water cooling techniques.’

From Waterstudio:

‘New Water (Het Nieuwe Water) will be a benchmark project in Dutch water-management developments. The artificially maintained water level of this former polder, measuring approximately 2,5km by 500m (70ha), will be raised to bosom-level, creating a site that will not only act as a regional contingency water storage area, but also hosts a multitude of water-related developments including 1200 dwellings.

The first project of the New Water will be the apartment complex ‘The Citadel’. Ecological, recreational and residential demands are integrated into a landscape that is organized into different thematic compartments , each offering a specific experience of the water, specific building typologies, and a range of different ecological habitats, in the ecological zone there will be the stilthouses they are free from the floor so they don’t effect the zone. Construction will start in 2009.

With the design of the Citadel the level of ambition is set high. The building will consist of 60 luxury apartments with enough parking spaces  and large terraces. The fluent shaped design of the Citadel clearly shows the endless possibilities of building on water.

With so many units built into such a small area, the housing complex will achieve a density of 30 units per acre of water, leaving more open water surrounding the structure. Each unit will have its own garden terrace as well as a view of the lake.

The water will act as a cooling source as it is pumped through submerged pipes. As the unit is surrounded by water, corrosion and maintenance are important issues to consider. As a result, aluminum will be used for the building facade, due to its long lifespan and ease of maintenance. The individual apartments are built from prefabricated modules. The Citadel will be situated on a shallow body of water, and in the future numerous buildings, complexes and residences will float on the water alongside it.’