VISION 23 — BACK TO THE FUTURE
In many ways concrete is monumental and yet glass
effectively subtracts the impression of mass with
light-filled volumes. And it’s not just a hard blast of light
needing sunglasses upon entry but a soft, reflected
and ambient light.
Because the Plane tree dictated the design as much as the
vista out, the light entering from the east, through the tree,
is just lovely. Being north facing, we had beautiful control
of the sunlight hitting the floor. There’s also a two-storey
skylight. From above you can see the frameless skylight
that brings light two levels down and most rooms have
multiple light sources.
Does glass bring anything else unexpected to the project
that you didn’t envisage in the early renders?
We have butt-joints rather than actual mullions, especially
in the main living room. It’s almost as if the glass isn’t
there. We’ve used Viridian’s ComfortPlusTM for many years
and it has never let us down. I think there is definitely a
reassurance in working with a material palette you trust and
understand.
Did you have any concerns about the environmental
pressures on the design?
Concrete is low maintenance and long-lasting. Despite
being energy intensive to produce, it has great thermal
mass properties. We used insulation within the concrete
envelope for the north-facing envelope. With so much
glass, there’s no artificial lighting required during the day.
Cross ventilation rather than air-conditioning is another
advantage. The more sliding glass walls, the more options
exist for cross ventilation.
14
Floor to ceiling glass heightens the
experience of sky and trees.