Projects of houses with panoramic windows. Glass houses House with glass facade

“All the locals think that I'm freezing behind glass walls, and I'm warm,” says Vadim, the owner of the unusual house. He "invented" it and built it himself: without technical education and construction skills. It turned out like in the pictures of glossy magazines - colorful, spacious, light. The most modern engineering solutions were used in the house, while the owner managed to save considerable sums (only on some glass systems - 6 thousand euros).

Atypical project

Vadim says that when creating the project, he already had an idea of what he wanted, so he drew the house in detail on his own. The glazing systems were borrowed from the magazine and "implanted" into the project (further the narration will go from the first person).

- When they ask me how you mastered it all, built it, created it, how you thought it up, I answer that this is the material realization of my inner world. I am the same as this house: spacious, spacious, roomy, with character and modern style, light and comfortable. And at the same time budgetary and tight-fisted, like all Belarusians.

According to this project, they built

Designer Daria Lapitskaya helped me in designing. I coordinated all decisions and ideas with her, asked her for comments on every issue related to aesthetics and design. Believe it or not, the project itself was drawn on A4 sheet. Already when the house needed to be put into operation, an architectural project was needed. It was made in the architecture of the city from a finished building.

House layout

Foundation

The house was built in the Kobrin region, in the village, on 22 acres. The geometry of the plot is quite convenient: 53 × 40 meters, the horizon level difference is 45 cm. The project of the house was "planted" on a plot oriented to the cardinal points.

The trenches were dug with a chain tractor, then the dimensional accuracy was corrected with shovels. With the materials for the foundation, I was lucky: I had at my disposal supporting concrete columns 50 * 50 cm in size with a huge margin of safety (they used to keep a concrete roof at one of the industries). I saved a lot on concrete, but I had to bear the costs of loading, unloading, laying the columns and their delivery. The rest of the trench was filled with concrete from a mixer. For greater savings, I bought several machines for breaking concrete (instead of rubble stone), also from industrial production. As a result, the savings on concrete turned out to be very decent.

Part 60 cm above the ground was laid out with demler blocks, moreover, in a double wall: on the outside, a brown cladding block 10 cm thick, then an air cushion of 5 cm and a standard block 20 cm thick.

Looking ahead, I would like to note that I really wanted to build a foundation according to German technologies, with insulation, waterproofing, but at that time it was prohibitively expensive and laborious, and this construction of the above-ground part of the foundation made it possible to avoid "cold bridges" in the area of junction of walls with floors and significantly reduce the cost of the project. The foundation is covered with white sand and compacted, with water shrinkage. Before the walls were erected, the foundation was given time to "mature" for a whole year.

Foundation advice: even if it sounds trite, it must be reinforced (I know that some builders do not). On my own I would recommend, before pouring the foundation into the trench, to lay a small gravel cushion, 5 cm thick, and tamp it. In the case of construction without a project of engineering systems, provide for plugs in the foundation for holes for the introduction of communications. When buying demler blocks, be careful when choosing a manufacturer, since I almost bought blocks from one private trader, instead of cement, which had one dye, and they crumbled right in my hands.

Old log cabins or expensive blocks?

In terms of the material for the walls, there was a choice between gas silicate blocks and a wooden beam from an old village house (on realt.tut.by there is just about this topic, and I fully support and share the author's conclusions). The fact is that at that time (2010 - the time of erection of the walls) gas silicate was for some reason extremely expensive, so I was looking for a solution to how to save money. But there was a "planned collapse" of the ruble, and the blocks became more accessible. As a result, I bought the GSB of the Berezovsky plant, measuring 60 * 30 * 30, considering the thickness of 30 cm to be quite sufficient for our latitude with the future prospect of insulation. The blocks came in perfect quality, so the installation was easy and simple. The blocks were laid by my friend, at prices below market prices at that time, I was his assistant. I had to take a direct part in the construction for several reasons. I immediately planned to fill in a warm (hidden) armored belt along the perimeter of the walls, and U-blocks were not on sale at that time. So I cut them myself out of the building blocks using a long drill and a grinder. Except me, none of the tested hired helpers succeeded in this operation.

Mauerlat rests on a "warm" monolithic belt

In the end, I saved on the utility room, on U-blocks, and at the same time checked the quality of my friend's work when laying. Yes, the presence of the customer on site allows you to improve the quality of the work performed and avoid irreparable mistakes by the builders, especially if the project is complex.

Geometry lessons

If we somehow coped with the walls, then the roof was my headache. It is 8-slope, hip, combined with two reverse slopes, a second light. I'll be honest: a drawing (if you can call it a drawing) on A4 paper was drawn by one country guy, with 8 classes behind him. I just turned out to be a talented person in this area.

However, none of the professional builders wanted to take on the roof according to this drawing, even for a lot of money. As a result, the roof was assembled by the guys from the village.

The rafter system is assembled from pine lumber. Only in one place (above the dining room, in the area of the reverse slope) an I-beam was laid for additional rigidity of the structure. It is located at the edges of the walls in the dining room, and in order not to suddenly destroy the edges of the walls under pressure, the corresponding unloading heels were poured into the gas silicate.

Waste OSB

The village roofers turned out to be talented guys. And the payment was taken from me at that moment absolutely at market prices, without a "premium" for the complexity and level of responsibility. The material was cut so competently that only a few strips and small pieces remained out of 240 m² of OSB, in a total area not exceeding 2 square meters (!!!). After work, I myself came to their aid as an assistant and spotter. Designer Daria also approved of the design in terms of proportions and geometry.

The release of the roof onto the walls is 95 cm, which at that time was outlandish, but now it is already done everywhere. I recommend that everyone under construction use wide roof gaps, but do not lose sight of the proportions of the entire roof and building. This keeps the walls and foundation dry. It has been noticed that even with oblique rain, the facade is only partially wetted.

For such a complex roofing, from all roofing materials with minimal waste and reliability, there could only be, therefore, I bought a tile "Technonikol", the "Jazz" collection. She lay on the OSB-slab according to all the rules: with a lining carpet, lubrication of starts, steam films from the inside, installation of aerators and other nuances. The finishing elements are made of matte brown tin to prevent glare in the sun.

The Hanter gutter system was immediately installed. Water discharge is provided by five risers with direct outlet to the local storm and drainage system. The filing of the overhangs of the roof was realized with the soffit of the Brest production "Vox". The soffit is fixed on rails 5 * 5 cm. Then this allowed me to implement stylish illumination of terraces, a welcome light in the parking lot and on the porch of the house relatively easily and painlessly.

"I thought I'd give up glass structures"

All windows and doors are made of a five-chamber profile, with external lamination "dark oak" and fittings "Roto". From the inside, the profile was left white. Double-glazed windows, two-chamber, on an 8 mm frame, with low-emission glasses. Two children's and one bathrooms have standard size windows - 150 * 150cm. In the master bedroom, instead of a window, a double-leaf swing glass door was installed, with symmetrical doors, measuring 155 × 240 cm.Two identical windows measuring 95 × 145 cm were installed in the second bathroom and kitchen.

The entrance door is also glass, hinged, 150 × 220 cm. It is asymmetrical in width of the sashes: the entrance sash is 80 cm wide, the second auxiliary sash is 63 cm.

The swing door design allows you to easily bring any furniture into the house. Moreover, such a door is an element of a barrier-free environment - a person in a wheelchair can easily enter the house.

The glass system in the dining room - two stained glass windows, three meters high, installed at an angle of 90 degrees.

When it came to installing a transparent wall glass system, the roofing didn't seem so complicated anymore. It was necessary to solve the problem of how to close the opening of a large bay window with glass: the height on the larger side is 512 cm, on the smaller side - 350 cm. Width - 390 cm. This glass wall hung over my head with a "sword of Damocles" for almost a year. I was afraid to implement it with the help of a PVC profile - a large area, a huge sail load during the wind, "breathing" of the structure when opening and closing doors.

It was decided to assemble it from an aluminum system. I turned to a well-known Minsk company that had experience with such material. Sent the dimensions of the opening. But when I received the answer, I was very upset - the price was “atomic”. I called my designer, who was in charge of the project, and explained that there was a miscalculation in the project, in particular, the glass system of a large bay window was financially overwhelming ... On the same day I decided to lay the wall with gas silicate blocks and insert windows three times smaller.

The designer, on the other hand, showed technical and professional audacity: he categorically refused my proposal to lay the opening by two-thirds. Daria did not accept my attempt to divide the structure into two parts, placing a concrete lintel in the middle. The verdict was as follows: the structure should be from floor to ceiling, without crossbars and lintels, light and floating, fragmented into no more than 8 parts. And she proposed a new solution: we install the frame from metal, durable, 100 by 50 mm, with a wall of at least 5 mm, we buy only overhead elements of the glazing system, I do the installation myself, I order double-glazed windows for the required dimensions. And so it was done. From the pipes I welded the frame myself and painted it. The glazing system was implemented on an AGS 500 aluminum profile with a thermal break, bought in Minsk. It was assembled and installed independently. In order to further limit heat loss and prevent sintering and galvanization of metals among themselves, he laid a paronite strip between iron and aluminum, thereby creating another thermal breaking line.

But I had to tinker with double-glazed windows - none of the companies wanted to take on double-glazed windows with a height of 2500 mm - most manufacturers then did not have the technical capability. And no one wanted to tinker with such bulky packages manually.

The director of the Steklolit company came to the rescue, who agreed to make such bags under his own responsibility. Now this is normal, but then it was a wonder. Double-glazed windows are made on the 16th frame, two-chamber with low-emission glass. Made specifically on Friday evening, so as not to stop the production process in the cutting shop. Everything was ready on Saturday. He also installed double-glazed windows on his own.

Here they started to laminate the aluminum decorative plates of the glass system in the color of "dark oak" - no one else wanted to do this. The laminating engineer gave his word that the coating will not "peel off" under any circumstances. Restrained. As a result, the frames of all glass systems, windows and doors are of the same color.

Due to the fact that steel racks were used, and not aluminum, the system of aluminum profiles was purchased directly from the importer, and not from the dealer, double-glazed windows were purchased without space surcharges for complexity, and I did all the assembly and installation work myself, I saved about 6,000 euros ... These are the most significant savings in the entire construction of my house.

I am grateful to designer Daria for her support and ideas, for adapting the project to Belarusian realities, for her professional audacity. It was very difficult to decide on the implementation of all these ideas. It was hard to be an innovator: in the courtyard in 2008, two-slope houses were peacefully built around, they were lined with white silicate bricks, arched openings were arranged in the corridors, and here - a glass facade. Fellow villagers, acquaintances, passers-by opened their mouths, curious whether I would die there and how to walk in such a house in underpants? But I wanted to be like there, in the West, like in the pictures of glossy magazines - colorful, spacious, light.

The owners of personal plots often have questions about the type of facade to choose for the construction of their own housing. After all, the field of design and architecture is so changeable that it is difficult to choose what would be to your liking from the entire range of proposed calculations. Of course, first you need to decide on the main finishing material, of which glass is becoming more and more in demand. Not only mirrors and other decorative elements are now made from it, but also used as a basis for drafting glass houses. True, the pleasure will not do without a significant investment.

Options for glazed facades, verandas, terraces

Half-timbered buildings can be constructed with various frame / frameless systems. They can be post-transom, structural, semi-structural, combined, frame, facade, roof, planar and spider. The latter type is a real squeak of fashion, being the most modern due to the presence of a hidden, invisible frame, which gives the maximum effect of transparency and airiness of the entire monolith of the structure.

There are several variations for the glazing of annexes, differing from each other in functionality and range of possibilities. In particular: cold and warm glazing. Choosing the first, in winter the temperature regime inside the house will be only 5-7 degrees higher than the outside one. Therefore, if you are not going to prolong your autumn in this way, it is better to choose the second option. This will allow the use of the veranda / terrace all year round. After all, who does not want to have their own space - cozy and warm, where you can easily spend winter holidays and just a weekend with loved ones.

Panoramic glazing or partial

The answer depends on the height of the walls and, in principle, their presence. When the walls are fully covered, the partial method is suitable, when there is a roof and a frame, then panoramic glass will be the ideal choice for creating an attractive, aesthetically rich terrace.

It will be necessary to decide whether to use wall or roof glazing based on the type of construction. If there is no roof or some kind of awning, then you cannot do without a roof. In vertical planes, it is better to focus on wall decoration.

Frame and frameless glazing

It all depends mainly on the individual sense of taste of the customer, aesthetic perception. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of each option, it can be noted that with a frame it will be cheaper and easier to implement, but the appearance is quite commonplace. Frameless glazing looks very aesthetically pleasing and elite, which is what many owners crave. But one cannot do without such disadvantages as insufficient tightness, low level of thermal insulation, lack of space for mounting a mosquito net. And so, it's all a matter of personal preference, because in the design of the veranda / terrace, you can give free rein to your imagination and realize bold ideas with sufficient financial position.

Advantages

Glass cottages have a more modern look, they attract with their originality and elegance. At the same time, they are well protected from atmospheric phenomena, which are quite aggressive in large metropolitan areas and outside the city. Inside such premises, it is much easier to maintain a comfortable living environment with a constant microclimate and the ability to manage it economically. First of all, savings are noted on heating systems, air conditioners and more. The shell itself, where the supporting structure of the structure will interfere, is protection from strong winds, various precipitation and the influence of UV rays. It is also convenient that in these buildings it is possible to control and regulate the degree of illumination in different ways.

The demand for glass buildings is also due to the fact that they have a high speed of installation and manufacture. Small structures are thinner, so they can be assembled even faster, even on a "dry" basis.

In addition, there is a tendency in the construction industry to increase the size of structures, especially if it is a retail and office property. And therefore, today more and more spacious glass complexes are being created, while the time for their construction is reduced.

Due to the fact that high-quality, reliable components are used in the construction process, up to 50 square meters of the facade can be rebuilt per day, which significantly reduces the construction time.

Another advantage is the naturalness of the material used. Since it is considered environmentally friendly and completely harmless to human health. Translucent surfaces differ in insignificant thickness, due to which the area of the premises, which perfectly transmits sunlight, also increases. Although for some this refers to disadvantages, because for this reason furniture and textiles fade.

Those working in such buildings improve their well-being and performance, therefore, for office buildings, this is the best option, instead of the usual ones made of concrete.

Disadvantages of glass wall house designs

First of all, the high price for the construction of such structures is noted, because this pleasure is not cheap. There are also a number of nuances that prevent such plans from being implemented. In particular:

The visibility of what is happening inside the building. Many people do not like to flaunt their lives, but those who are not embarrassed by this have an additional opportunity to “hide” a little from prying eyes. This can be done by tinting windows or applying a mirror film.

Panoramic window systems, located on the sunny side, let in light too much, which in turn negatively affects the condition of furniture and curtains.

Complexity of surface care. All accumulated dirt and dust must be promptly removed over the entire area of the glass building, which is a laborious process. It takes a lot of time and effort, which is often not enough.

The heat retains inside is rather poor.

Additional costs for a variety of equipment, such as heaters with automatic start-up to avoid condensation on the base material.

A high level of energy efficiency, which in most cases is mistaken for a disadvantage.

The need for legal registration, since the glazing of loggias in a panoramic way includes the availability of permits, which is either long or expensive to obtain.

Features of half-timbered houses

Speaking about the demand for such cottages, of course, one cannot fail to note their presentable, rich appearance, which attracts attention at first sight. This aesthetic is much more modern and original than the usual wood or concrete.

Of the features, the possibility of saving up to 10% of consumed electricity stands out, as a large area of the building lets in sunlight from outside, which is necessary for proper lighting and heating of the space. And completely transparent walls allow you to fully enjoy the beauty of nature around, forgetting about city worries and problems. You see the world, and the world sees you - everything is simple!

The main thing is that the glass units used are absolutely environmentally friendly and do not emit harmful substances. This material does not cause any allergies if you choose a quality manufacturer. For those with allergic reactions, a half-timbered project will be the ideal solution, protecting from the harmful effects of the environment.

Technology

Half-timbered buildings are originally from Germany. Initially, a wooden frame was used as a basis for them, into which a glass panel was inserted directly. Now the market of modern building materials can significantly reduce the construction time, while leaving the structure as environmentally friendly. You can easily choose an individual, exclusive frame for yourself during the design development process.

Transparent glass is in great demand. The frame for such a material is glued laminated timber with rubberized paint, which is distinguished by its reliability and durability. The main element is double-glazed windows. They, based on the idea of the project, can consist of one box or include partition walls. Reception allows you to achieve the maximum effect of unity with the outside world.

It can also be either a one- or two-story glass house. It all depends on the customer's budget and wishes. The main thing to consider when choosing materials is the degree of their protection from exposure to sunlight. An equally important role is played by the dimensions of surfaces and their possibility of transformation, which determines the expansion or, conversely, the reduction of space at the discretion of the designer.

Strength of half-timbered cottages

To increase the strength of the main component, a considerable amount of manipulation is used. One of them is the use of wear-resistant raw materials of special processing and with a special composition. So, for example, laminated consists of layers of various thicknesses and types, glued together. Tempered - 5 times stronger than usual, and reinforced is distinguished by the presence of a retaining metal mesh inside, which is necessary in case of accidental damage.

Composite materials, polymer, plexiglass, transparent slate and much more are also widespread. They increase the strength of the structure when properly selected and installed.

How reliable the building will be depends on the selected profiles - wood, plastic, aluminum and steel. If the raw materials are manufactured in a carefully adjusted production facility in compliance with all technologies, then with their use you can count on a faster and more comfortable building process.

Security

Such solutions are quite reliable and no less practical than the usual buildings. Often, wood, aluminum, steel and plastic are used in their construction. The glass elements themselves can be either laminated, reinforced, or tempered, as you already learned above. They cover it with a special protective film, and thanks to the use of modern technologies, the material is provided with the maximum strength required for residential structures. Also, the main raw materials are often supplemented with strong metal inserts, if these are houses made of metal and glass. Therefore, you should not worry that this building will be fragile and unsafe for living.

Communications

The elements that can spoil the whole design are the heating, water supply and sewerage systems. Therefore, you should carefully consider their installation. So, the pipes responsible for the flow of water into the building, as well as the removal of waste, must be used to a minimum. The optimal solution would be to install communications under the floor, which is very practical and beneficial to preserve the conceived interior.

As for saving heat inside, then during the construction it is necessary to take into account the factor that it is best to locate the building on the southern side of the site. If a heating system is required, it is recommended to use "warm" floors, which, depending on the type of power supply, are electric and steam. These pipes or tapes will be placed in the floor, so there is no hassle. And in order to hide them and enjoy the warm floor for a long time, ceramic tiles will become an ideal coating option for projects of houses made of glass and concrete (photo below). If the budget allows, then you can choose a 3D epoxy floor, which can be ordered with any composition. Observing all the technologies of the arrangement, it will be possible to use the heating function all year round.

Famous glass buildings from around the world

"Haus D10" (Germany)

This state-of-the-art structure is located in Germany and bears the title of the first structure in the world to fully comply with the “three zeros concept”. It was designed by Werner Sobek.

The living rooms are located on the ground floor, while the basement is occupied by utility rooms. On the north side of the building you can see a spacious double garage, which can also be accessed from the basement. A staircase leads inside the house from the common living room. In order to give additional volume to the space, the architects made it so that the white color of the premises plays in various shades during the day and night. This creates the feeling of a more lively, moving building, and natural light softens the interior white aesthetic slightly.

Glass Pavilion (Italy)

It is surprising that you don't even have to think about the issue of wall decor. It is located on the shore of Lake Lugano, on a hillside, as a result of which it consists of rooms of different levels, taking into account the landscape features. The polygonal pavilion includes a dining room, living room, kitchen and utility rooms, the lower level, in turn, consists of a bedroom, bathrooms and a garage. There is a separate entrance to both the lower and upper levels.

When creating this project, much attention was paid to the problem of ecology, which is why geothermal energy is used here, the garden is on the roof, and there is also a special system for collecting rainwater.

The central lacquered block has concentrated additional options, at the same time serving as a kind of wall that separates the kitchen from the living room. There is a bath, a kitchen, a staircase and important equipment (mechanical, technological and audiovisual). Similar houses made of glass and wood, photos of some of which can be seen below, are impressive at first glance, you must agree.

Overlapped building (Singapore)

The Chinese architects Neri and Hu have created this project, consisting of two halves in an L-shape with a courtyard in the center. The design is based on traditional buildings from northern China. There are three floors, and each has a family, and one is hidden underground.

Glass Dwelling (Connecticut)

The building is located in an unusually beautiful place full of trees and no place for the bustle of the city. The authors of the project conceived to use as little materials as possible during the construction, and for the concept they took the "Farnsworth" house, from which this structure differs only by the existing symmetry and a different type of foundation. The entire space of the building was made of glass, the frame of which forms a cube with a limitation in the form of a black metal frame. Therefore, one gets the impression that you are, as if under a roof, but outside the house.

"H House" (Holland)

An original and interesting design with blue walls. Located "H House" in Maastricht (was created for one creative couple). Its constructive openness of the facade draws attention to the interior decoration. Thus, transparent and opaque glass is harmoniously and elegantly combined here with sliding and fixed parts, so the structure “plays” with light in different ways, depending on the time of year and day.

Glass House in Tokyo (Japan)

A transparent building that looks more like a small city office. Those who are not afraid to open their pastime to others can safely try to live there. This "House NA" is an abundance of light and air, but the absence of any secluded spots, since the concept of life in a tree was taken as the idea for its construction. There are four floors in total, in the center there is a staircase moving in a spiral manner through various rooms. Area - 85 sq.m.

As you can see, glass houses, the designs of which fascinate and surprise, can be realized, however, one cannot do without large time and financial investments. After all, such original designs require special attention and careful selection of every detail.

Of course, a material such as glass, although not entirely safe due to the fact that it can not only break, but also severely injure a person, is extremely popular. They make beautiful furniture from it (remember the cute coffee table in the living room), stylish interior doors and even build whole houses from glass. Of course, this is not the only material used in construction, but glass walls and roofs can occupy a large area in such transparent houses. Glass houses are often found in America, which most likely indicates a more relaxed American mentality. If you have nothing to hide, and you do not suffer from modesty, then you can throw aside the wooden boards and bricks and start building a magical glass house.

The dignity of this material
lies in the fact that one and the same inherently material can be completely
different: matte, mirror, tinted, transparent, etc. You can achieve
the desired effect by simply combining a couple of these options. Also such
material like glass can give designers
the opportunity to realize the most creative and daring fantasies and
to get as a result not just a banal house, but a real piece of architectural
art. Of course, in the construction of glass houses, various
technologies that allow to achieve the best possible result are glass cutting with water or bevelling.

Many people, especially those with
there are small fidget children, never dare to build
glass house because the fragility of glass can lead to irreparable
consequences. But in fact, there is nothing to be afraid of: modern technologies
allow you to make it as strong and strong as possible. Glass walls are capable of
will withstand the strongest load and
at the same time they will remain safe and sound.

Worth paying attention
classification of glasses that are used as building materials. This
information will greatly facilitate the process
choice and make it much more enjoyable. Glasses are: lime, lead,
sodium silicate, quartz, borosilicate and others. The first type of glass -
calcareous - they are good because they melt easily, and their cost is very low.
Most mirrors and sheet glass are made from it. Lead glass
is more expensive than the previous one, but, at the same time, it has good dielectric properties. Sodium silicate
glass does not have a very good property - maybe
dissolve in water. The advantage of quartz glass is that it
has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and also has a high
electrical resistance. But the disadvantages include the high cost and
the severity of processing. Borosilicate glasses are remarkable in that they have
resistance to various chemicals, as well as thermal shock.

As for the design of the glass
at home, then all the reins of government must be given to the designer. Build a similar object to you yourself
it will be very difficult. After all, you do not want to get just a small glass
a hut with four walls and a shabby roof. It needs the hands of a professional
which will tell you what materials
it is best to combine glass, where it should be more, and where it should be smaller.

By the way, it is worth paying attention
in addition to the fact that a glass house, for example, does not have to be completely
consist of this material. It can have either a glass roof, or, to
for example, just one wall. Moreover, even the interior can be glass. What
concerns furniture, then there are some restrictions, for example, it can be
tables or small shelves. In addition, doors can be made of glass.
They will look very stylish, bright, colorful and will add their own
zest.

It is worth putting in a word about glass roofs. Their main advantage
- this is, of course, a pleasant aesthetic appearance. They will be able to provide maximum
illumination, which will have a good effect on the mood of the inhabitants of the house. By the way, they
transmit not only light, but even heat, respectively, you can significantly
save on heating the room. But at the same time, such roofs are missing
harmful ultraviolet rays, which, of course, is a huge disadvantage.

Whatever it is, one thing is clear: for
glass houses are the future. And if earlier it was the prerogative of only the rich and
bourgeois, today more and more people are thinking about
to build a glass house.

More and more often, young families give preference to building their own house rather than buying a finished one. The trend here is obvious: a new building makes it possible to plan your dream home and build it according to your own needs, moreover, in this case, the possibility of buying a "pig in a poke" is excluded. In recent years, in particular, glass frame houses have been popular.

The main advantages of glass houses

Of course - the very first thing is the external showiness of the glass facade. A house made of glass is a luxury, if you compare it with a car, it is like a Mercedes or a Ferrari.
It is also very comfortable to be inside such a house, especially if there is a marvelous landscape outside the window. A sense of unity with nature and the outside world, a sense of harmony and tranquility does not leave here.
Energy Efficiency - By increasing the light transmitting area, the need for artificial lighting is significantly reduced.

Watch the video "Glass House: Nuances of Construction"

Disadvantages of glass buildings

High cost of construction - modern high-tech materials are used in construction, plus wages are much higher in comparison with the construction of an ordinary house.
Not every construction team can cope with the construction of a glass house, so it may be difficult to choose specialists.

Difficulty in maintenance - not everyone can cope with cleaning a large glass surface and, most likely, you will have to resort to the services of cleaning services.
The likelihood of condensation in the winter.

Glass house frame material

The material for constructing the supporting frame of such a house can be:

wood;
steel;
aluminum;
plastic.

Glass and steel house - exterior and interior

Consider a great example of a house made of glass and steel, which is located on a hilltop, from the south side of the house overlooking the endless sea, from the north side you can see a wonderful forest. The comfortable interior maintains a balance between modern and rustic.

Read also: Brick cladding of aerated concrete houses: features and methods of cladding

Natural materials are used in the interior decoration of the glass house - furniture, floors and paneling are made of wood. The design of the rooms is ascetic, but everything looks very stylish - the decoration is almost completely eliminated, a neutral color palette is used.

Until recently, we were all convinced that a traditional country house should be built of wood or brick.

Such buildings meet the requirements of comfort and are warm for our climate. But the windows in them are small, so it is usually a little dark in the rooms. And you can admire nature only on the veranda, and even then only in summer. Therefore, it is not surprising that now designers and architects are offering us to live in glass houses.

Glass House

Thanks to modern construction technologies and the efforts of architects, fabulous glass “castles” have become a very real thing. It became possible to create not just buildings with glass facades, but also completely glass houses. In our country, such cottages have already appeared, where almost everything is made of this, at first glance, fragile material. The facade, roof, sliding doors, canopies, stairs, partitions, fences and even the floor can be glass.

Of course, an absolutely glass house will not be comfortable for every person. But some details (for example, glass walls) may be interesting for most people. Such a house creates an extraordinary atmosphere, a feeling of lightness, airiness and all-pervading light and warmth. This is a completely new experience in the perception of the space of the home. The border between home and nature seems to have been erased. Through the transparent walls you can admire the greenery of the garden, the glass ceiling allows you to watch the clouds. Thanks to the transparency of the glass, the rooms are filled with light and visually expand.

French windows are especially popular today - these are panoramic windows from floor to ceiling in the form of a sliding wall. They simultaneously function as a window, a load-bearing wall and a door to a garden or balcony. Despite their visual fragility, they retain heat well and are highly durable.

French windows in a glass house allow a person to be closer to nature. And in order to feel comfortable, automatic or manual blinds are built into them, which protect from too bright light or night darkness. Also, special sun-protection or mirror coatings can be provided on the glasses.

In modern glass houses, in addition to walls, other translucent structures are often used. For example, glass roofs that can be installed over the whole house or over part of it. It is most appropriate to install them in halls and living rooms.

In the bedrooms on the upper floors, panoramic skylights look good. Conservatories and tunnels leading to adjacent rooms can be made entirely of glass. Glass is used to create entrance doors, stairs, canopies, terraces and balconies.

The strength of the glass house

Despite the seeming fragility, glass houses are very practical. When creating them, special attention is paid to safety. Many technologies are used to increase the strength of glass. During construction, glass is used, which has a special composition and has undergone special processing.

For example, laminated glass consists of several glued layers of different thicknesses and types.
Tempered glass is considered 5 times more durable than regular glass.
And the reinforced glass has a metal mesh inside that keeps the fragments from breaking.

Also used are composite materials, polymer glass, transparent slate, plexiglass, glass coated with a special film.

The reliability of a glass house also depends on profile systems, which can be wood, plastic, aluminum or steel. All parts of the glass house are manufactured in factories, so they are quick to erect.