Sailing home
Kamil Zaremba has had water on the brain for several years. The Wrocław businessman has been dreaming of a floating house for some time, and last winter he began to turn his dream into reality. After a long road full of obstacles, Zaremba is set to start construction work in June and plans to launch his house on the water in June 2007, when the city will be celebrating its Days of Wrocław festival.
In Poland, Zaremba's project seems to be the first of its kind. Many have tried before him, but were discouraged by bureaucracy, and in other countries the market is already growing rapidly.
"I have seen many such complexes in Seattle, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Berlin and many other cities. Such buildings were even in Poland before the Second World War," says Zaremba. "Hamburg is adjusting its waterways to the needs of such houses. I have recently seen more than 20 such houses in Prague. Houses on the water should already be treated as a separate branch of the real-estate market."
Bayside bargain
The house on the water is more than just a flight of fantasy. According to Zaremba, the construction of one sqm of a house on the water costs between zł.1,200 and zł.1,400, compared to around zł.3,500 for a traditionally developed detached house. The developer doesn't pay for a plot and also saves on additional fees that are necessary under Construction Law for typical houses, such as the building permit. The houses are subject to bills from the Regional Offices for Water Management. It manages Poland's waterways and charges zł.0.20 per sqm per year when a ship is on the water.
The main problem arises when a prospective developer starts to collect his paperwork, and this took Zaremba more than 10 months. "Each visit to the offices was always the same. I said that I have an atypical problem. When I said that I wanted to construct the first house on the water I could notice an ironic grin on their faces. Despite that I continued to explain the problem and finally their attitude changed and they turned out to be helpful," he says.
Cutting paperwork
According to the existing law, houses on the water are considered sport and recreation vessels. As a result, there's no need to apply for documents required by the Construction Law, unless the future house owner wants to have gas central heating. However, other regulations need to be adhered to, including those governing inland navigation, water law, environmental protection, and the population register. According to the Water Law, developers have to sign leasing agreements for the water surface they want to occupy.
The population register law can bring about its own problems. Zaremba says that the office will not accept his floating home as a place of residence, although the Constitution gives the right of free choice of place of residence and movement within the borders of the country. "If someone wants to take a loan, send children to school, use public services, taxation and postal requirements or insurance policies, they will face problems. Despite living in a house on the water, the owner has to have an alternative address," he says.
Pearl on the water
Despite the hurdles, Zaremba is ready to start construction work. The floating element is a 154-sqm concrete tub weighing 150 tonnes with a displacement of 240,000 tonnes. The apartments weigh 50 tonnes. The city of Wrocław's recent history of flooding is not a worry for Zaremba, as he believes his home is the safest place to be in a flood: "Of course in an emergency I will have to call off my vacation but I am quite positive about it."
Zaremba's house with orange walls will be a landmark on Wrocław's skyline. It was designed by Paweł Barczyk, a student of architecture at the Silesian Technical University. After completion, it will be a two-storey building partially under the surface of the water. The lower floor will host two bedrooms and basements for the water container and other technical facilities. The second floor will include a 60-sqm hall where Zaremba plans to organize meetings and presentations, a large living room with a kitchenette, a study and a terrace on the top floor. The total usable space comes to 250 sqm.
In search of support
Initially, the house will be located next to Grunwaldzki Bridge, but it could be relocated using tugs. An agreement with officials has already been signed. "The original and provocative design will arouse interest," says Zaremba. He has launched a website, DomyNaWodzie.pl, where he presents his knowledge and experiences concerning the necessary documents and procedures. With the help of the city hall, Zaremba is planning an exhibition detailing his project, the history of the Oder river and similar projects abroad. It will be held on Wrocław's Rynek at the beginning of August.
There seems to be high interest in similar projects in Poland. Zaremba receives hundreds of e-mails and inquiries daily. "In the future Szczecin will have the biggest potential, due to the large number of canals and Szczecin Bay. There are many locations ideal for such constructions but we need more people to put pressure on the authorities," says Zaremba.
Zaremba's project is original and required vision and perseverance. The knowledge he has acquired is certainly worth money, but he says he is not going to charge anybody for consulting services. He believes that once the project develops more interest, it will be easier to receive specific decisions and persuade officials to change spatial development plans to adapt riverbanks and build marinas where such constructions could be moored. If Zaremba has his way, fishermen on Poland's riverbanks could soon find themselves jostling for space with a new fleet of floating houses.
