Ready to Set Sail? Konga’s Newest Prefab Will Float Your Boat
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For Konga cofounders Paulius Žemaitis and Goda Žemaitė, growing up in Lithuania meant long days spent foraging mushrooms and picking cranberries in the forest. As adults, after 15 years spent manufacturing furniture, they were inspired to transform their nature-inflected childhoods into a full-time business. The couple joined forces with Danish architect Mette Fredskild to form Konga—a company dedicated to designing prefabricated, Scandinavian-inspired cabins that immerse their occupants in nature. Since launching, their portfolio has grown to include charred wood cabins, off-grid outposts, and more.
Most recently, they created the Konga Float, an off-grid, solar-powered floating home designed with the same Scandinavian aesthetic and eco-friendly ethos as their classic cabins. Here, Paulius Valiulis, who led their newest project, shares how the company accomplished its maiden voyage.
The prefabricated houseboat operates fully off-grid with the help of 12 rooftop solar panels.
What’s your most exciting project to date?
It has to be this one. The creation of the Konga Float took us more than a year to create, with plenty of challenges along the way. We kept pushing boundaries to make it a 100-percent, fully off-grid prefabricated house that can sail for hours using only electricity gathered from rooftop solar.
The first Konga Float owner is Claartje, who runs a private sailing school in the Netherlands. Claartje and her husband own a beautiful island in a lake in the South of Friesland. While looking for a houseboat, Claartje contacted us to see if our Konga Cabins could be placed on a simple raft to act as a floating cabin of sorts. When she learned that we were already working on the design for a floating house, she was very excited given her interest in our company values, and our approach toward design and sustainability. Claartje wanted a contemporary, high-quality design with bespoke details that was also sustainable. Today, Claartje and her husband moor their Konga Float in a lake and occasionally rent it out others.
The 430-square-foot floating cabin is fully equipped with a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.
What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include?
The Konga Float has a fixed price of €177,000 before tax and delivery. The 430-square-foot unit fits four people and is fully electric, with an E-Propulsion motor, 20 kilowatt battery pack, and 12 solar roof panels.
The only thing not included in the base cost is an extra 10 kilowatt battery, ideal for longer travels. The additional battery costs €5,000.
The design uses natural materials and upcycled elements that are meant to reduce its environmental impact.
What qualities make your prefab stand apart from the rest?
Konga Float is designed with a strong emphasis on eco-friendliness. It incorporates upcycled materials and off-grid systems meant to reduce its environmental impact. The prefabricated structure allows for controlled manufacturing processes that aim to reduce construction waste.
The Konga Float has large windows and an open-plan layout, offering the potential for panoramic views and a direction connection with a landscape. The design maintains a balance between luxury and simplicity. It offers modern comforts such as wooden interiors, but minimizes excess. Konga Float’s appeal lies in its Scandinavian-inspired, streamlined aesthetic.
The base model comes with furniture.
Where is the Konga Float currently available?
The Konga Float is currently available in Europe. It is sent to owners via ground transport after being packed on a truck. Technically it could be delivered to any country in Europe that can be accessed by road or ferry.
Is your design currently pre-permitted in any U.S. municipalities?
Not yet. But we are currently in discussions with a few clients in the U.S. to bring Konga Float to the American market.
Are there plans to expand to other parts of the world?
We are open to new opportunities for expansion and collaboration. The very first Konga Cabin will reach the U.S. soon where it will reside in the woods of Mendocino County.
The Konga Float features infrared floor heating that helps keep the raft comfortable during chilly voyages.
How long can a client expect the process to take after they put down a deposit?
It takes four month to produce a Konga Float after the initial deposit is made.
The houseboat has aluminum-framed floor-to-ceiling windows.
What aspects of an install do you manage?
We ensure quality production of the houseboat and organize the delivery. The Konga Float does not require installation, but the client has to grant the permits (if needed) and hire a mobile crane to be present during the houseboat delivery to unload the cabin.
The houseboat is built off-site and delivered to owners in full working order.
What aspects of the design can a client customize?
We have several customization options. Additional batteries can be installed for longer travels. The design’s poplar panels and furniture can also be made from birch, pine, or okoume plywood. The bunkbeds can be removed from the bedroom, while the exterior can be crafted from either Thermowood or charred wood.
The Konga Float is fully electric, minimizing excess engine noise as it sails.
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