Page 94 - Designing Ways 246

Panoramic Absorption
The interior of the glass pavilions features Northern cedar flat ceiling
planes, designed with recessed lighting to eliminate any hanging
obstructions to the breathtaking views. The wide-open floor plate
is framed in glass courtesy of window panels separated by minimal
¾” wide mullions, providing uninterrupted horizontal views to the
south, where only Aspen trees rise in vertical contrast. At more than
9,000 feet of elevation, the insulated window panels presented another
challenge, resolved through the insertion of capillary tubes to mitigate
atmospheric pressure differences between the manufacturing site of
the insulated-glass units and the high altitude of the house.

The design layout of the three-level glasshouse provides a separation
between privacy and togetherness. Entry to the glasshouse is accessed
from the ground level, where a stone pavilion and mudroom sit
adjacent to a garage, guest bedrooms, and a game room. Ascending
to the middle level, the open floor plate contains the Glass House
common spaces, including an open kitchen, an unobstructed,
expansive living room, and an adjacent dining room. The upper level
is reserved for the three-bedroom family living quarters.

On the two upper levels of the glasshouse, the interior polished
concrete floors extend seamlessly beyond the glass walls to the
expansive exterior deck space, courtesy of the cascading design of
the cantilevered pavilions. An external pathway on the middle level
leads to a cylinder wooden-clad soaking tub, designed along with
landscapers to be a solitary point of discovery.

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