Now I have seen some pretty interesting, edgy and exciting architecture before, but I think this takes the cake, an entire house made of glass!
Italian architect Carlo Santambrogio and designer Enno Arosic have released two concept homes constructed entirely out of blue-toned glass. These home were originally created as concepts to showcase Santambrogio's glass furniture line Simplicity. Although these glass homes have yet to become a reality they apparently are options to build at a mere $6200 per square foot.
Assuming we put aside the obvious questions like how safe are these homes, where is the plumbing and electrical, how well are they insulated, how dirty would the glass get, etc; if you had the money, the privacy, the land and the view to live in a home where the fluidity of interior and exterior become one, would you do it? Could you live in such an exposed, sterile and minimal fashion? This is definitely not for the faint of heart, but you have to admit it is stunning in a utopian kind of way.
(Images: Santambrolio Milano)
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Wow, I could not see myself living in this home however, I do appreciate it's beauty. It's gorgeous but soo not practical. I could see myself walking into walls constantly! lol.. Wouldn't it be great if it were made of tinted glass or even better, the mirrored glass they use in police lineups? :) So homeowners can see out but no one can see in..
haha, I would live in a house with lots of full glass walls, but not glass floors ;)
I could see myself living there if the glass had that electricy that tinted the glass when you turn it on so you could chose to have it clear or frosted at any given monment.
stand in a green house for 10 minutes and see how enjoyable that is. architects sometimes neglect the obvious (reality) for the sake of design.
Reality aside, I would totally live in a glass house.
haha Jaime, I second that!
But part of the joy of a house is having someplace to retreat TO. This wouldn't leave anywhere to retreat. Sometimes I just want to cozy up and hide from the world. This would totally not work for that. I'd rather just have an entire wall of windows facing the gorgeous coastline.
I would love to stay here on a private vacation but I would not live here... I would be constantly spritzing glass cleaner and wearing micro fiber gloves! On the bright side, you have the constant opportunity to do this, http://fotokatz.photoshelter.com/image/I0000GQDQqq291Uc with your entire body!!!
Really bad perspective on those renderings. It looks like the house is flying.
Where's the bathroom?
This looks like a great way to kill lots and lots of birds.
Yeah, I didn't notice a toilet. So unless they're putting a port-o-potty somewhere... This would be a great vacation home somewhere super remote. Or a fantastic location for a slasher film.
Absolutely beautiful, especially the winterscape!
WOW- I think the idea of a glass ceiling would ROCK. The glass floors, not so much.
Of course there are real-life problems with glass in general... heating/cooling, fingerprints, kids, safety, privacy in a bathroom.
Well those things aside, I would LOVE the kind of life a see-through house would provide- if you had the land and private views around like these homes.
I could give it a whirl...
no way. too open. agoraphobia.
With about 1/3 less glass, I could be happy. I need some solid, opaque walls just to feel grounded a little bit.
@ Duane Hill
Ah! Thanks. I saw the article a while ago and I thought they where renderings (and the bed was a tell telling sing for me) but I wasn't sure and even on the website from the architects, they seem suggesting the houses were in real places.
@EdmundD
I second you in summer and I wouldn't want to foot the bill for the heating in winter.
i would, but i really like throwing stones.
Yes and no. My dream always was and still is to live in a huge green house - by the sea. No joke. I love to stay inside my normal sized green house, especially when it's stormy and rainy outside :-)
But this here is different. No plants and flowers, no cozy furniture. This would be more like living in an ice cube.
Why is it glass homes NEVER show a bathroom???? That would be my only concern in a glass house no matter where it was built!
The curtains are a hoot.
Maybe, but what about the potty? I've gotta have my privacy in the potty. No getting around that one.
Oh. And the sun would definitely wake you up in the mornings so you'd better be willing to rise with it.
In a heat-beat. That's how long it would take me to decide.
Of all the homes, in all the worlds, there is no where else I'd rather live than in this glass house.
Nope. I would need a closet to hide the ugly stuff.
I like this but I don't. I don't think I like the glass floors but I love the glass roof. I'd also have to install a lot more curtains - in bright colours.
Hey, Umm, why is there snow all around but not on the house? Nope would need private bathrooms, closets, and sunshades so I can sleep in in the mornings. Anyone who thinks they can do this is remarkable.
LOL Cindy44.
When the 'everything' concept is put into place it becomes plain silly, stupid and an architect time and talent waster. One upper floor room or hall of glass would be cool or a glass refrigerator would (have to) be cool. The 'everything' dumbs it down to the 'all beer can' house and furniture concept.
Glass floors would be far too freaky. And I'd spend a fortune on Windex. Then of course, there's the bathroom issue. Other than that, no problem.
We don't have any curtains in our house except for the bedroom and we're ground floor. If people are so sad that they want to look in and watch where we are up to that's OK by me. I don't feel the need to be private because I've nothing to hide. (Apart from the aforementioned bathroom!)
Billy Joel FTW
Not for anything, no way, nope!
However, if they made a public building like a restaurant where you only spend a short time, I'd go there. (Especially if *I* didn't have to use the Windex!)
nope, i hate cleaning windows