Things We Love (when There Is No Love): Divorce House

  • July 28th, 2016

Divorces can be messy. Well at least now you don’t have to worry about the house.

Amsterdam-based Studio OBA has designed a concept home that literally breaks up when its owners do. Responding to the increase in divorce rates, the studio created a floating home concept that makes domestic uncoupling a whole lot easier. Called ‘Prenuptial Housing’, the idea was conceived by Omar Kbiri who wanted to help divorcees avoid a real estate battle after their relationship fell apart. 

The home consists of two independent prefabricated structures that appear to be one home. The modules float atop pontoons with an interlocking design that can easily be separated into two halves if need be.

A couple would buy the house, then should they break up, they would be able to say their goodbyes, detach their half of the house, and simply float away with their now smaller space.

“The challenge of the project was to design a house that consists of two autonomous units that appear to be one,” say Vincent Ringoir, who runs Studio OBA. “Due to the way we designed it, the house responds to the flow of the relationship: when all is well, the house remains a unity,” he continued.

Considering the volatility of housing markets (and relationships) the concept is an innovative way to accommodate the complex realities of human partnerships.

The design is just a concept at the moment but with divorce rates ever increasing, it could be a very popular choice in the future. Cynical or practical, this home is a nice alternative to the historically messy process of splitting up.