The Glass House

Architecture: level architekture Construction: level konstrukt Consultants and contractors: Barham Consulting Engineers Photography: John Gollings The clients approached us one night by knocking at our front door. They said they liked how we renovated our house and wanted us to do the same on theirs. The existing house is a 1920 Californian bungalow, having a strong Frank Loyd Wright Prairie Style character with strong dark brown timber colors and dominant fireplaces. The brief was to renovate and extend the house to accommodate for a growing family. The main living area was designed as a glass box attached to the house with a glass connection. The exterior is no longer only looked at from the box, but it becomes incorporated with the interior. This living area accommodates the kitchen, living and dining functions. It is designed with a 3.6 meter high double insulation ceiling and laminated green tinted glass with a high shading coefficient complemented by motorized blinds. The Paloma limestone on the floor is extended to the outside with a 4 meter sliding door opening, blurring the edge of inside to outside. Deciduous trees were planted on the West side to allow heat in winter when the leaves have fallen and to create shade and cool air in summer when the leaves are back. A mixture of evergreen trees and climbers were dotted at the South. An essential out of sight outdoor storage area backs the kitchen from the East. The highlight windows wrap the box to allow not only light through the day but to capture the existing surrounding landscape dominated by large gum trees.