Breath-taking mountain landscapes, extensive fields, oceans or lakes - in such special places, building owners often want to feel this atmosphere even while they are indoors. In harmony with the surroundings, the architecture of the house reflects the harmony of nature: wood, stone and glass blend in an aesthetic symbiosis and fit perfectly into the environmental backdrop. The interior is designed with a little bit of understatement, so that the views have a stronger effect. This was also the case with this single-family home in the Black Forest in southern Germany.
Located surrounded by hills, the rural idyll was to be the focal point of the building. The property located directly on a slope offers a great view down to the valley floor. In order to enjoy this view without obstructions, the existing house was partly demolished and generously extended. This was motivated by the desire for barrier-free use in line with the needs of elderly people, for wider views and for a high degree of contemporary quality of living. For this reason, the new building was provided with large glass facades and equipped with some premium extras such as an elevator and a swimming pool.
Unlimited views
Sliding windows six metres high were installed across the entire front towards the garden, providing a view of the surrounding landscape from every angle of the swimming pool. The architect Thomas Martin chose an exclusive sliding window with slim profiles: cero from Solarlux. It impresses with its thin frames with a face width of only 34 mm. This allowed 15 square metre panes with a height of up to six metres to be realised.
Solarlux GmbH
The stable stainless steel track technology allows the sliding windows to easily be opened and closed by hand, even though they are as large as they are. However, the owners of the house decided in favour of an electric drive: At the push of a button, the glass elements open up and allow barrier-free access to the terrace. A special feature is the column-free opening of the glazing at the corner. This technical detail creates a seamless connection to the surroundings. On warm summer days, the indoor pool instantly becomes an outdoor pool.
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In addition, the corner opening underlines the openness and transparency of the large sliding windows. The balcony above seems almost to float. "The cero sliding window has enabled us to achieve the indoor/outdoor theme that was the focus of this project," says Thomas Martin, summarising the advantages of the product. "The building is thus both extravagant and introverted. It allows wide views, but is protected from views from the outside." In addition to the design, the architect was particularly impressed by cero's well thought-out technology. The triple-glazed panes and the highly thermally insulated aluminium profiles are suitable for passive houses in accordance with the current EnEV. This means that even on cold days the swimming pool can be used without restriction.
