Five glass-wrapped homes living life on the (water’s) edge

As one of the four essential elements that sustain life on this planet, water is key to the survival of all species. And just as wild animals like to stay close to the watering hole, we humans enjoy life by the water. While our ports, lakes and waterways are no longer the international transport hubs and feeding grounds they once were, the improved air quality, more temperate climate and improved relaxation and mindfulness that’s brought by the presence of fresh or flowing water, means specialist spaces such as riverside pubs, beachfront hotels and lakeside homes are some of the most popular of their type. The following homes, for example, taken from the ArchDaily and Architonic project archives, show how prized nearby waterbodies can be better utilised with great architecture and design.