The climate in most parts of Russia can be pretty unforgiving, with temperatures falling well below zero degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. Many buildings all over this sprawling nation have to withstand both frigid winds and heavy snow packs for at least half of the year. But what if you want to be able to enjoy a vacation home on the water in summer and either transport it somewhere else before cold weather arrives or trust that it will hold up just fine" For Russian firm BIO Architects, the solution is an ultra-rugged, well-insulated mobile home that can float on pontoons.

The DD16 Floating Cabin, designed by BIO and produced by the DublDom factory, measures just 172 square feet, but the ample sunshine coming in through its floor-to-ceiling glazed front wall and its open floor plan make it feel larger than it really is. The front wall is protected from the weather by a narrow overhanging porch, which also acts as a handy ledge if you?re climbing up onto it from the water. It?s designed for installation in remote places with the toughest of climate conditions and consists of two prefabricated modules.
The frame is made of laminated wooden timbers, all of which have had circles milled out of them to reduce their weight. Once the frame was erected, the builders filled all of the empty spaces with polyurethane foam, simultaneously maintaining the structure?s lightness and making it impervious to cold winds. It also makes the walls more rigid, enabling lighter finishin...