New points of view: the Andersen inHOME at Sundance Film Festival puts windows front and center to inspire new thinking about their place and function in home design

Custom Home, Sept-Oct, 2004

The wood-trimmed windows that make up an entire corner of the Great Room in the Andersen inHOME capture dramatic views of the Wasatch Mountains that overlook Park City, Utah, but they are just one of several inspiring points of view in this showcase home.

Some, like the row of clerestory windows along the front elevation, the geometric window combination next to the entry, and the light shelf over the gallery underscore the home's connection with nature, while a partition separating the dining room and kitchen shows the possibilities afforded by modern glass technology.

With more than 140 window and door openings contained in its 6,000-square-foot, four-level footprint, the Andersen inHOME at Sundance Film Festival (so named for Andersen's sponsorship of the annual event in Park City) is filled with light, views, and, most important, ideas for how design professionals and home builders can take window design applications beyond traditional expectations and customary functions to create an inspiring environment.

INTEGRATION

Integration is synonymous with architecture, the practice of bringing together individual elements, materials, products, and performance values to achieve a cohesive, useful, and thoughtful whole.

To that end, windows in the Andersen inHOME at Sundance Film Festival are designed to provide much more than daylight and views; rather, their placement and functionality combine with other design elements to produce unexpected benefits.

Consider, for instance, the ability of interior windows to channel daylight into more than one room, enable views along and across the house while maintaining privacy, and foster natural and cross-ventilation that refreshes indoor air through out the structure.

Or a row of skylights that guides visitors from the entry foyer to the patio doors and out into the backyard while also acting as a clever sundial.

Or how deep eaves not only shade the windows for a passive cooling effect, but also provide ample depth for balconies that extend useful living space to the outdoors.

Even the 140-foot stone spine of the house, designed to emulate naturally occurring rock formations of the Wasatch Range, serves as a mechanical chase and structural backbone for the home's overall design.

INNOVATION

While technology and innovation have become nearly interchangeable terms in the modern world, innovative design actually uses technology as a tool to achieve convenience, performance, comfort, and beauty.

Consider, for instance, how the inHOME's interior windows, glass balustrades, and switchable partitions create both a sense of openness and the ability to zone spaces for specific uses and privacy.

The partition between the dining room and kitchen is the home's most dramatic example of this concept and of the relationship between innovation and technology. When clear, the partition creates a view between the dining room and kitchen, opening the spaces so they share light and activity; when made opaque at the flip of a wall switch, the glass shields dinner guests from the kitchen's utility and can have a soothing image or a favorite movie projected on to it.

At the entry door, switchable glass technology in the sidelights and transoms not only frames the solid alder door with an ambient glow of light when left opaque, but also provides a measure of security and privacy without the need for heavy curtains or blinds that would hide the beauty of the Andersen[R] art glass pattern.

INSPIRATION

Architects and builders are used to thinking in terms of floor plans, but the Andersen inHOME also considers "wall plans" to respire new visions in home design.

Windows, patio doors or skylights on at least three walls of every bedroom and major living space ensure a balance of light throughout the day, while wide expanses--best exemplified by the corner treatment in the Great Room--arouse a sense of being outside without being subjected to the elements. In addition to drawing our eyes to views on all four sides of the house, the thoughtful "wall plans" also stimulate and support our natural inclination to move toward sources of light.

Inspiration can also be found in movement. A light shelf between the two guest bedrooms along the same wall tracks the path of the sun, casting ever-changing light and shadows over the gallery below, while operable clerestory windows at the rooftree bring a dynamic, wing-like clement to the front elevation.

These and other examples of wall planning are destined to evolve the use of windows from practical building products to true design features that enhance overall comfort, performance, and beauty.

Take Home from the inHOME

Though a contemporary design, the inHOME provides architects and builders with ideas that apply to any housing style, including ...

* Skylights and clerestory windows for light, ventilation, and privacy

* Corner configurations to expand views and make windows appear larger

* Interior windows that share light, views, and ventilation among several rooms

* The combination of several standard-sized windows to create rhythmic patterns, artful expression, and personal style