Mirror houses, which create a unique effect of multiplication and interpenetration of spaces by reflecting the surroundings, are becoming increasingly popular. Such an example is the Doświetlający Dom by {tag:pracownie}, surrounded by forest, under construction in Magdalenka, near Warsaw.
The Lighting House camouflages itself between the trees
© 77 STUDIO of architecture
The forest surroundings influenced the character of the modern body of the single-family house designed by 77 STUDIO architecture. Limited access to daylight was the biggest challenge for the architects - to remedy this, they decided to use powerful glazing and an unusual solution - a mirrored facade of the second floor. The plot of the house was ideally suited for such a solution - surrounded by a uniform forest landscape, it allows an even reflection - just like in a mirror.
The house in Magdalenka is actually three buildings tied together by a steel frame
© 77 STUDIO of architecture
mirror residence
The Mirror House is actually three buildings - a residential house, a detached garage and an outbuilding - tied together by a steel frame. The buildings form a pavilion-like development on a rectangular plan, with courtyards and semi-open spaces of varying character.
The first floor is finished with a rhythm of vertical wooden fins
© 77 STUDIO of architecture
The location of the plot and its heavily wooded southern part mean that the entire garden and house space has limited access to daylight. The first floor is finished with a rhythm of vertical wooden lamellas, the arrangement of which emphasizes the closures and openings to the inner courtyard. The composition is complemented by nine spacious windows, creating a light, natural screen. Thin window frames delicately draw the boundaries between the house and nature. Innovative window technologies made it possible to design and realize 3.4-meter high glazing with a width of up to 12 meters.
The architects superimposed the mirrored body of the first floor on the first floor pavilion
© 77 STUDIO of architecture
unusual way to light up the house
Looking for additional architectural solutions to level the problem of shading the plot, the designers from 77 STUDIO architecture studio superimposed a mirrored block of the first floor on the one-story pavilion. They decided to capture all the sunlight running above the treetops and, thanks to their reflection from the reflective facade, to maximize the illumination of the house. This was accomplished with the help of a proprietary façade design prepared by the architects and implemented by Multiko Window Architecture, taking into account the parabolic movement of the sun, reflecting off the mirrored floor and filling the green patio and the daytime part of the garden with light.
The designers managed to achieve the effect of a homogeneous sheet of glass
© 77 STUDIO of architecture
We used new generation mullion and transom facades. Semi-structural joints with a width of only 16 millimeters allowed us to achieve the effect of a homogeneous sheet of glass. We built the impression of a uniform glass block, discreetly masking part of the opening structures," says Maciej Mazgaj, co-owner of Multiko Architektura Okien.
forest density effect
Thanks to the materials used, the building gained lightness, and the reflections of the trees bond it with its surroundings. The reflectivity of the glass visually integrates the upper part of the house with the surrounding greenery, creating a forest density effect. The boundaries between nature and the body of the house are almost imperceptible. Importantly, for the safety of birds, the glass windows of the glass floor have been covered with UV films that are visible to them.
The Light House under construction
© 77 STUDIO of architecture
Staying in the thread of mirrored houses, we encourage you to read the conversation Are mirrored houses really made of mirrors?, which we conducted with Marcin Tomaszewski, an architect from REFORM Architekt.
