Prvok, 3D-printed houseboat in Hluboká u Borovan, Czech Republic
Prvok is a floating residential structure in Hluboká u Borovan built with concrete, wood, and a green roof. The structure measures 13.5 meters long, 3.67 meters high, and provides around 43 square meters of living space on water.
The project was completed in 2020 by sculptor Michal Trpák as the first fully functional 3D-printed houseboat in the Czech Republic. This marked a milestone for experimental housing that explored new building methods and floating residential solutions.
The name Prvok refers to a single-celled organism, a protozoan, matching the oval ground plan with a rippled outer wall. Inside, visitors can spot shelves and a washbasin made of subfossil wood, a titanium 3D-printed tap and speakers printed from sand. The bedroom has a custom semi-oval bed; the bathroom an eco shower recycling up to 90% of its water.
Prvok now stands on land in the Nový Dvor complex beside the Residence Safari Resort building, house no. 26 in Hluboká u Borovan, not on water. It is advertised as rentable accommodation, so access depends on a booking rather than on a bridge or walkway. The structure was moved there on 15 April 2021.
The building was created using a robot-controlled 3D printing system that applies concrete in precise layers. This innovative process made it possible to go from design to a finished living space in less than two months.
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