Glass Home Exteriors Reflect Modern Tastes
Advances in coatings and insulation make glass a more usable choice for home exteriors than ever before
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
Full-height glass walls are not for everybody — they can make people feel like they are on display, and generous window shades can be at odds with the architecture. Yet by using different types of glasses and integrating shading in front of the walls, for example, their deficits can be overcome. And with the advanced technology of insulated glasses and special coatings, glass is becoming an increasingly sustainable way of wrapping a building.
This ideabook collects four houses that use glass in some interesting ways.
This ideabook collects four houses that use glass in some interesting ways.
This aptly named Glass House, designed by Thomas Roszak, is in the north suburbs of Chicago and follows the city's modern tradition embodied by Mies van der Rohe. The residence, designed for the architect and his family, is composed of two-story glass cubes, modules that can be added to over time as the need for space increases.
These exterior photos show how the cubes create an in-and-out stepping-in plan. They also hint at some of the color inside: Yellow beams can be seen in this photo.
This view across one of those notches reveals a skylight that brings light to a below-grade level. The structure is a mix of concrete (slabs, columns, beams) and steel (perpendicular beams, slab edges). The latter is painted an orange-yellow that combines with the red walls and wood floors to bring warmth to the interior.
| The yellow beams direct the gaze in this photo toward the view, the green surroundings that become an integral part of living in the Glass House. |
Some privacy and sunlight reduction come from the full-height horizontal louvers inside the glass walls.
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| This massive house in Phoenix, Arizona doubles, as a private museum. The design, by Jones Studio, places the art on a lower floor defined by rammed-earth walls. Above that floor are the living spaces. |
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| What the architects call the "floating residential pavilion" is composed of clear glass walls behind a translucent screen that filters daylight and is a canvas for artificial lighting after sundown. |
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| This stunning shot clearly shows the translucent screens, which are hung from the roof by thin cables. The sizable terracelike space between these screens and the inner glass wall is also apparent. |
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| The house is very sleek inside, with even more reflections coming from walls perpendicular to the exterior; it is almost officelike. Note the gap between the two exterior walls and also the way the screen filters the daylight. The art from below poking its way into the house via a glass box is a nice touch. |
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This conversion and addition of a two-flat in the hip Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago incorporates a sizable glass wall on its rear elevation.
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The design, by dSPACE Studio, makes this glass wall operable, lifting like a garage door to open the double-height living space to the backyard.
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There are some windows on the sides, but this large glass wall is the main source of light for the living area. Note how rooftop access happens next to this operable wall: A mezzanine walkway leads to a door that opens to an exterior spiral stair.
| This small addition, designed by Martin Holub, comprises a laundry room, a bathroom, a hot tub, and a lounge area. The angle of the roof and the windows creates a jewel-like design. |
| Even with the expansive glass wall comprising much of the addition, other openings can be found: a window opposite, a grid of six skylights and a few smaller openings cut out of the wood walls next to the hot tub. |
| The mix of these openings creates a kaleidoscopic effect as light enters the space. This certainly wouldn't happen without the tall glass wall on the right. More: Give Me a Wall, a House or a Roof of Glass Glamorous Modern Glass |
Ideabook updated on Feb. 29, 2012.
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Gerhard - That's looks great. You should post some photos of your infill house on Houzz!
midmodfan - I looked after a house last year that has a lot of glass windows, but they strategically face a natural area, so I didn't feel "on display." Of course any good planning can be ruined by neighbors tearing down trees or building closer, as not everybody can afford large enough parcels of land to control views in both directions.
Respectfully,
John Hill
The Cosntruction Zone, ltd.
tyrrel - You are correct, and it's been corrected.