In the 1940s, a series of strange birdlike structures appeared in the Thames and Mersey estuaries in Britain, resting well above the surface of the water. Designed for the Armed Forces as anti-aircraft towers, the Maunsell Sea Forts were decommissioned a decade after World War II ended and then commandeered for use as pirate radio stations in the 60s. One of them was even declared the independent “Principality of Sealand” by its occupiers, who still live in it today. Now, the strange legacy of these forts has inspired an unusual home set in a salt marsh off of England?s east coast.

Artist Marcus Taylor sought a quiet, reflective retreat that could also serve as a part-time live-in studio. The property he purchased, which was set within the Colne Point Nature Reserve in the hamlet of Lee-Over-Sands, offered beautiful views of the surrounding peaceful waters and damp, scrubby marshlands, where redshank birds wade, bob, and call while standing on a single rosy-colored leg. It was perfect, except for one thing: the site became inundated with water every time the tide came in. Surveying the land, Taylor spotted the sea forts, which are visible from the building site, and noted the presence of all the little redshanks among them. Together, these elements inspired the refuge of his dreams: an elevated one-bedroom home that becomes inaccessible whenever the water rises. To make such a design feasible, he conceived of a cork capsule that would bob on three legs. He the...