The Rivage concept aims to reclaim areas of freshwater with highly energy-efficient and durable floating installations and is a sustainable concept that uses renewable raw materials.
This has been one of the most innovative structures in which Garnica has been involved. It is made up of various projects that combine accommodation in unusual locations, such as lakes and trees, with stunning natural surroundings. The floating lodges are designed to be holiday rentals and are located in the north of France.
Construction required a lightweight system that would easily allow the installations to be buoyant, highly-energy efficient and use materials from sustainable and renewable sources that are durable in changing conditions of humidity and temperature.
Garnica Duraply plywood satisfies all these requirements, combining the lightness of poplar with the durability provided by an innovative treatment applied to the panels. The Duraply range of panels uses poplar wood from plantations, an innovative treatment is then applied to 100% of each panel to give exceptional durability in outdoor spaces. The panels have a 15-year guarantee against delamination, fungal and xylophage insect attacks. The entire panel is treated, meaning that durability is guaranteed even after sanding, cutting or machining.
The close collaboration between Garnica's technical team and the Rivage developers has resulted in some truly picture-perfect floating lodges. The images show the assembly of the first model, a 40 m2 floating lodge: the rest of the accommodation will be installed soon, with 10 projects in total.
Thanks to a construction system based on geometric modules, it was possible to design customised floating buildings complete with all the expected comfort standards. What is more, they are also scalable and environmentally friendly.
The entire design process is carried out from a sustainable perspective that aims to have zero impact on the natural environment:
- Renewable materials from sustainable sources are used for construction, such as Garnica Duraply plywood.
- All the building materials used can be recycled and all of the buildings can be relocated elsewhere.
- The floating lodges use renewable energy.
The poplar used to make the Garnica Duraply boards comes from European plantations close to the production sites. Furthermore, poplar is one of the most sustainable species, noted for its high CO2 absorption and rapid growth, so that they are more quickly replaced and the impact on the environmental is minimal.
In addition to floating houses, Rivage has also designed treehouses that offer perfectly equipped, unique spaces in peaceful and natural environments. It also has other projects such as floating swimming pools made of decay-resistant wood and adapted for people with reduced mobility.
