A Houseboat for Ho

This artist book looks at Simon Starling’s ‘Houseboat for Ho’, built in 2023, developed specially for the low-lying village of Ho. An area that is directly threatened by climate change-induced sea level rise. Part locally inspired vernacular rural dwelling, part exotic boat, Houseboat for Ho is a hybrid structure built using two related but geographically remote ancient technologies – reed boat building and thatching. Torn between the land and the sea, this prophetic, Ark-like vessel, is the result of a cross-cultural collaboration – an exchange of techniques and histories between Danish thatched roof builders and Bolivian reed boat builders.