Architecture and Space Planning.  Sustainable Development.  Green Building.  Housing and Urban Development.  Commercial and Residential Architecture.  Home Design.  Interior Design

Transparency / Translucency

Office Glass Floor / Glass Ceiling: Cambridge, Massachusetts

 To transform an inadequately lit and isolated basement space into a attractive office environment, we installed a glass floor. It creates a dynamic relationship between the two levels. We take advantage of plentiful natural light from a large window on the first floor adding it through the glass floor to the day lighting of the basement. During the day sunlight animates the basement office as well as the conference room above in ever changing patterns of shadow and light. In the evening the lights in the lower office illuminate the glass floor above in a warm tinted glow.

Kitchen and Sunroom Renovation:  Somerville, MA

The existing house plan separated the kitchen and a later sun room/family room addition with an intrusive rear staircase.  The opaque walls fully separating the two rooms were substituted with a glass sculpture enclosing the stairwell. Its  translucency and form connect the two rooms.  A skylight  placed over the glass stair enclosure accentuates the  sculpture and adds much needed sunlight. A gate at the bottom of the staircase preserves the privacy in this upper story apartment. Sunroom and kitchen now work together as a unified space.

Translucent Wall, Nahant MA

 In order to take advantage of beautiful ocean views the kitchen was moved to the center of this house. Since the house is small and since the Owner did not want direct views of the kitchen from living room and entry, we designed the kitchen enclosure as a luminous sculpture. Being translucent this sculptural wall allows light to filter through and give you glimpses of the room beyond thus expanding the perceptual spaces in the rooms on either side. The play of light during the day and the artificial light at night partially dematerialize this wall and give it ever changing characteristics.

Translucent Glass Wall, Cambridge, MA

A  translucent glass wall screens off the new study in this renovated kitchen. Recycled windshield glass between two layers of transparent sheets filters and reflects light and transforms this wall into a jewel.

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E-mail: fran@amacher-associates.net