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Bathe in the Light of Clerestory Windows
Put Some Windows High for More Light, Air — and Privacy, Too
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 »
While my dictionary of architecture defines a clerestory as "the upper stage of the main walls of a church above aisle roofs, pierced by windows," the use of them in domestic architecture is broader. Just about any window above head height can be called a clerestory. Their use is more limited than traditional windows or even floor-to-ceiling glass, but what they offer — light with privacy — should make them desirable. The examples that follow highlight the various ways of integrating clerestories into different spaces, illuminating them (pun intended) as valuable means of increasing daylight.
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| This clerestory window, which wraps a corner of a living area in a fairly light and modern residence, gives the impression that the ceiling/roof floats above the walls. The extension of the ceiling beyond the plane of the walls means that the light coming in via the clerestories is indirect, giving the room plenty of light without too much heat or glare. |
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by Alterstudio
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| This residence by Austin, Texas's Alterstudio — which seems to love clerestories, based on this and the next two photos — uses windows above the kitchen to bring light into the dining/living area. This use is actually more aligned with the traditional definition of a clerestory (think of the kitchen and its roof as an aisle and the living room as the main space). Note the horizontal ladder-like louvers below the window; these cut down on direct sunlight into the space. A very well thought-out design. |
by Alterstudio
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This Alterstudio project uses a clerestory to bring light into a kitchen area. While it's accompanied by a large rectangular window by the sink, it takes advantage of that "no man's land" above the upper cabinets. Might as well use it to make the work surfaces brighter.
by Alterstudio
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In this last Alterstudio project, where the clerestory brings light from one side into a living room, the photo illustrates how these windows can be used for ventilation: note the tilt of the open window in the top right corner. In the hot Texas climate, natural cooling is best accomplished with windows that are high, where the warm air rises.
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| Another means of ventilating up high is seen in this kitchen, where jalousies — "blinds or shutters...[that] admit air and some light," again according to my handy dictionary of architecture — are used adjacent to fixed glass. The corresponding overhang cuts down on direct sunlight, allowing the jalousies to be made of glass, instead of an opaque or translucent materials, as is more common. |
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| This house design by Maryann Thompson — an exterior view follows — has A LOT of glass at its exterior walls. A band of clerestories allows more daylighting when the curtains are closed for privacy. |
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| The same house and living area from the outside show the extension of the roof and an intermediate awning that both cut down on direct sunlight. With all-glass exterior walls, it is helpful to use architectural elements to modulate how much light enters the interiors throughout the year; summer light is stopped but winter light enters unimpeded. |
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| Another house by Maryann Thompson places a clerestory far removed from the glass exterior walls. Instances like this, where the roof pops up above the rest of the house, are ideal circumstances for ventilating hot air via the integration of operable windows into the clerestory. |
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| These clerestories are bit taller than the previous examples, perhaps because they are the main means of lighting this kitchen and dining space. |
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| This house by John Maniscalco — featured abundantly in my ideabook on framing views — places large windows above the bedroom's large openings that almost extend to the floor. This clerestory combines with the horizontal window above the bed to maintain views and privacy when the curtains are pulled shut. |
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by Elliott Kaufman
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| The same can be said of this bedroom with wraparound windows and clerestories: The latter allow for privacy and views of the sky when (and if, assuming shades were installed) the lower windows are blocked. To lie in bed and stare at the sky and the stars without concern for being seen is quite nice indeed.
More: Design Details: Windows That Frame a View The Case for Interior Courtyards Stunning Corner Windows |
Ideabook published on May 2, 2011.
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it is but a cottage - the kitchen
Dining Room
Their shape and size would just need to work with the rest of the house's design, but at root they do the same thing—bringing in light up high while maintaining privacy.