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Lake Huron House:

Pilkington: Bringing the outdoors inside at a Canadian lakeside retreat

Taking a contemporary architectural approach, the residence maximises its breath-taking lakeside views, while remaining sensitive to its surroundings and sustainability impact in the extremes of the Canadian climate.

To achieve its statement aesthetic and enhance the beautiful natural setting, one of the key components of the design is the use of glass. Glass not only provides distinct visual features throughout the home, functionally it serves as a robust external surface that plays a vital role in maintaining the building’s energy efficiency.

With many demands on the crucial material, the architects turned to the Pilkington product portfolio, to find the glass solution that best served their needs.

Waterside living with a view

Lake Huron House uses a clean and simple material palette throughout. The ceramic facade tones are intentionally varied, and, alongside the glass, they accentuate the distinct elements of the build. The lake-facing side of the house features a double-height glass wall that maximises natural light in the interior of the building and also offers expansive views towards the lakeside.

Did you know? It was Sir Alistair Pilkington who perfected the process of making float glass.

Pilkington Suncool 70/35 OW T was specified for the project to help bring the outdoors in by creating the perfect balance of natural light, while minimising solar heat gain. Having an eye on sustainability was key, and this specification delivers excellent thermal properties that can help reduce the homes energy consumption.

By combining the Pilkington Suncool coating with extra clear true low iron Pilkington Optiwhite, it ensures that the neutral appearance does not spoil the beautiful views of the landscape and creates a bright and airy internal living space.

Thermal comfort throughout the year

The glazing ensures that the occupants can enjoy the vistas and are comfortable all year round, while reducing the need for constant air conditioning, in turn cutting energy bills and making the home more environmentally friendly.

Michael Carew, North American sales director at CareyGlass, said: “The architect took great care to keep the design unobtrusive and sensitive to its setting, while making an architectural statement. It was important that the project played on the surrounding landscape by opening up the building to the outdoors at the same time as providing an excellent energy performance, and that’s exactly what this installation does.”

See also this article: Rope facade for Penn Station in New York

Jason Eggerton, specification sales manager Pilkington UK, said: “Lake Huron House successfully integrates a number of different glazing properties to ensure energy efficiency while providing endless views of Lake Huron, the second largest of the Great Lakes of North America. The project is one-of-a-kind and we’re hugely proud that our glass helps to define the building’s appearance and create an outstanding home.”

www.pilkington.com

 

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