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Get lost in the pages of a good book—it’s the soul of any room.
It’s said they are like unexplored planets: lakes, oceans, ponds, streams, pools or rivers. Living next to water means connecting to exotic rhythms, and ways of life both foreign and familiar. Visually stunning and thoughtfully comprised, this new edited volume shows the challenges and beauty of life next to the sea.
Each of the 55 homes are illuminated through 260 stunning colour illustrations and organised in three sections: ‘Built to Look at Water’, ‘Built on Water’, and ‘Built to Reflect Water’. Throughout its 272 enchanting pages are residences in global destinations including Finland, Chile and Greece, as well as Spain, Kenya, Lebanon and Japan.
Top architectural projects by John Pawson, David Chipperfield, Tadao Ando are immediately recognisable. But others – such as Spasm Design Architects’ House Cast in Liquid Stone in Khopoli, Maharashtra, India; Felipe Assadi’s Casa Bahia Azul in Los Vilos, Chile; and Petra Gipp Arkitektur’s Stupet / Refugium by a Staircase in Vättern, Sweden – equally capture the imagination with their visionary designs.
This is a soothing, stylish escape for architects, the design-savvy and all those who dream of life enriched by the power of the aquatic.
Phaidon editors
We interview Andrea Savage from A Life By Design – Living & Branding on creating aesthetically beautiful and deeply functional spaces
EMKAY delivers a bold and intricate fit-out by transforming a 1,800 sqm space into SUSHISAMBA Abu Dhabi, a vibrant multi-level dining experience
The Synua Wall System by Oikos offers modularity and style
Perennials unveils the Sun Kissed collection for 2025
Architect Rabih Geha’s collaboration with Iwan Maktabi
For Ayesha Erkin, architecture was never just about buildings, but about how people live, eat, gather and remember
Cycladic heritage, heartfelt hospitality and contemporary design converge on Deos Mykonos, designed by GM Architects
Curved shapes and colourful artworks bring vibrancy to this contemporary home with mesmerising nature views
Perched among the treetops, this serene home’s permanent connection to nature invites dwellers to unplug and unwind
A.R.M. Holding and BIG unveil visionary masterplan around Jebel Ali Racecourse
Interior designer Claudia Afshar’s collaboration with Cosentino redefines vertical cladding with nature-inspired textures and a timeless aesthetic