Location: Snagov, Romania.

Architect: West Group Architecture.

West Group Architecture will present their Glass House Snagov project at WAF 2018. The project is a smaller scale design located near Bucharest, Romania, and is named after the Philip Johnson Glass House. The rectangular house has three levels and is surrounded by tall vegetation for privacy. The structure is made of steel beams and columns with a thick concrete slab, and the façade panels are made of transparent or opaque surfaces. The glass panels are made with Forster steel joinery and Saint-Gobain glass, which has active glass technology that allows the owners to switch between transparent and translucent at the push of a button. The glass also provides thermal insulation and reacts to direct sunlight by becoming darker, reducing the need for power consumption for cooling during summer. The house has a circular glass elevator and a green roof terrace. The interior finishes include Cotto ceramic flooring, terracotta brick walls, and white composite Corian bathrooms. The lighting solution is supplied by Fagerhult and can be adjusted for color temperature and light intensity. The design principles were adapted to meet the client’s requirements and climate needs while eliminating thermal bridges and ensuring efficient thermal insulation.