Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

Glass Houses

This is a project by Sander Architects and it is located at Venice, CA, United States. Project's program: Condominiums. There are seventeen images for Glass Houses.

: © Sharon Riisedorph Photography

Project details

Project name: Glass Houses
Location: Venice, CA, United States
Program: Condominiums
Area: Site Area: 3,000 sf • Built-up Area: 6,300 sf
Year: Completion: 2009
Client: Marc Venegas
Project by: Sander Architects
Team: Principal Designer: Whitney Sander • Design Team: Whitney Sander, Catherine Holliss, Rob Rombold, Tony Castillo
Others: Contractor: Icaza Construction (Sean Icaza)

Project images

Designer's statement

This building is divided vertically down the middle to create a pair of three-story condominiums that use many of the eco strategies and materials that have become Sander Architects signatures. Playful architectural details include double-height translucent walls, exposed steel structure, cutouts in interior walls, and plywood railings and ceiling finishes.

The exterior skin of the building is a double-layer of translucent materials: multi-cell acrylic panels provide the waterproofing inside lapped scales of glass. From the interior this creates a dramatic double-height wall that fills the rooms with light during the day and allows the interior lights to glow from the street at night. The theme of glass continues through the house with glass detailing in the kitchens and bathrooms.

Some of the green aspects include: extensive glazing to maximize natural daylighting throughout the house, multi-cell acrylic panels (with high R-value) for glazing to reduce heat loss/gain, passive cooling promoted by window placement to create natural air-flow, on-demand water heater, low-flush toilets, low-VOC paint, bamboo flooring, standard incandescent lighting designed to be convertible to compact fluorescent, cabinetry built with materials from managed forests, minimal landscaping with native plants to minimize water, and proximity to public transportation and all basic amenities (within walking distance).