6 incredible glass homes from around the world
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Glass-walled homes can be striking, stylish and innovative. Explore 6 examples from across the world.
In 1851, the Crystal Palace was opened in London. Designed by Joseph Paxton, it was built to house the Great Exhibition – an imperialist showcase of Britain's industrial achievements.
It wasn't the first glass building. Orangeries and glass houses had been used for tropical plants since at least the 16th century. But it was the first time glass had been used as the primary material for a large-scale building.
Since then, architects have taken Paxton's baton and run with it. All across the world, glass buildings have been designed and built to serve as galleries, offices and homes.
Of course, not all of us would like to live in a glass house. The dangers of stone-throwing aside, there's the sensitive issue of privacy. Let's just say there's a reason why glass-walled homes are primarily erected off the beaten track.
Glass has an astonishing ability to open up spaces and dissolve the boundaries between the inside and outside. The light floods in and your eyes are naturally drawn out towards the surroundings.
Here, then, are six of the best glass homes from around the world.
1. The Glass House, New Canaan, Connecticut, USA
This is the Glass House for a reason. Completed in 1949 by Philip Johnson, it's the granddaddy of glass homes.
Johnson designed this glass-walled home as his personal residence. He spent his weekends there until he died in 2005 at the age of 98.
True, the house was mainly used for entertaining, with Johnson and his partner sleeping elsewhere on the 49-acre estate.
This may have been because of the privacy issue. Many glass homes conceal their bedrooms, but the Glass House is just one room with glass walls. Only the bathroom is hidden by a small stone vestibule.
The building's importance can't be overstated. It went on to inspire a generation of architects and designers.
2. Edith Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois, USA
In some ways, Edith Farnsworth House is the Glass House's twin. Like the Glass House, it was designed as living quarters – this time as the weekend getaway for nephrologist, musician and poet Dr Edith Farnsworth.
Although it was completed after the Glass House, early plans for Edith Farnsworth House inspired Johnson, who said:
"Farnsworth house, with its continuous glass walls, is an [even simpler] interpretation of an idea. Here, the purity of the cage is undisturbed. Neither the steel columns from which it is suspended nor the independent floating terrace break the taut skin."
As cages go, it's pretty attractive. Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's steel-and-glass design reflected his belief that "nature, too, shall live its own life.
"We must beware not to disrupt it with the colour of our houses and interior fittings. Yet we should attempt to bring nature, houses, and human beings together into a higher unity."
Today, Edith Farnsworth House is open for public tours.
3. The White Lodge, Oxted, Surrey, UK
In leafy Surrey, there's a remarkable sight – an ultra-modern sustainable home with a first floor that seems to hover over the rest of the building.
Designed by the couple Tony and Nicky Maude, the
White Lodge is innovative and luxurious. Its open-plan sitting room is built for comfort, while its staircase, swimming pool and other features have an undeniable wow factor.
"Living here," the Maudes say, "feels like being on a permanent holiday."
This high-end family home is also full of glass, featuring a structural glass bay window, glass walls to the south and west and a glass-fronted swimming pool.
The White Lodge may be familiar to viewers of the British TV show
Inside No. 9. In the episode "A Quiet Night In", two burglars break in to steal a painting. Things, however, don't quite go to plan.
4. Case Study No. 22, Stahl House, Los Angeles, USA
Perched high above Los Angeles in the Hollywood Hills, the glass-walled Stahl House is widely regarded as a masterpiece of its kind.
Designed by Pierre Koenig, it's since been used as a striking location for movies as diverse as
Nurse Betty and
Galaxy Quest.
It's also the site of a famous
photo by Julius Shulman that may have served as inspiration for Bojack Horseman's house in the animated series of the same name.
5. Eppich House II, West Vancouver, Canada
Completed in 1988, Eppich House II is the 6,400-square-foot masterpiece by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson.
Its living quarters include five bedrooms, five bathrooms and a guest house. But like many of these glass homes, it's all about leisure, with an on-site creek, "reflecting ponds", a pool and a hot tub.
Much of the steel used to make the house's frame was provided by the Eppich family's factory. The building is famed for its curved, sculptural lines and maximisation of natural light.
6. Glass House, São Paulo, Brazil
Not to be confused with the Glass House, Glass House – or Casa de Vidro, as it's known – is architect Lina Bo Bardi's signature project.
Casa de Vidro was designed and built for the Italian-born Brazilian architect and her husband, the museum director and journalist Pietro Maria Bardi.
Perched on stilts, the Glass House boasts wrap-around glass windows and has served as a meeting place for artists. But the building itself pales in comparison to the lush, wrap-around rainforest.
It's not for nothing that it's been described as resembling a treehouse. But
what a treehouse!
Conclusion
Structural glazing is often associated with the worlds of finance, commerce and art. However, it can also be used in innovative, striking ways for domestic settings.
With their collapse of the traditional boundary between inside and out and their harnessing of natural light, glass homes are wonderful places to relax, entertain or even get some work done.
It's all possible thanks to innovations in the worlds of architecture and glass fabrication. Structural glass has to be super-durable and super-customisable. At ToughGlaze, we provide just that. Explore our
structural glass solutions to find out more about what we offer.
