Close

Review: “Living on Water” by Phaidon editors

Get lost in the pages of a good book—it’s the soul of any room.

Living On Water

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.

Living on Water

Phaidon editors

The Latest
Finasi at Downtown Design 2025

Finasi x ROAR presents – Made in UAE

For this year's Downtown Design, Finasi and Pallavi Dean will unveil a bold new installation that blends interiors, fashion, and local identity into a living design dialogue

A Lesson in Restraint

This Palm Jumeirah home proves that luxury can be achieved with intention, rather than scale

Vote for your favourite projects at the identity Design Awards 2025

You can now choose your favourite project from the identity Design Awards 2025 shortlist

identity Design Awards 2025 shortlist: Interior Design

The shortlist is revealed for the interior design categories

What to Expect at Downtown Design

The Middle East’s leading platform for high-quality contemporary design will showcase a curated mix of international and regional brands, alongside independent designers and studios

A New Chapter of Wellness

Studio Marco Piva has designed the Eden Spa at Excelsior Palace in Rapallo, where architecture, landscape and luxury converge

Otherworldly

The new Alémais Sydney headquarters reflects the brand’s flair for colourful prints and embellishments

Between Sky and Steel

We step into a sculptural apartment in Istanbul, Turkey

identity Design Awards 2025 shortlist: All Categories

Shortlist revealed for all the categories for identity Design Awards 2025

Brimming with Warmth

Atlas Concorde’s porcelain tiles enhance the contemporary design of this villa in Bodrum, Turkey

The Lighthouse

Carrie Das has completed a beachfront home that bridges Asia-inspired minimalism and touches of British heritage