Glass Home Exteriors Reflect Modern Tastes
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 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.
Advances in coatings and insulation make glass a more usable choice for home exteriors than ever before. Browse for more photos by clicking this link.
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.
