Window walls surround all sides of Glass Villa in the Lake, a three-storey house built by Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo in rural England that appears to float on water. Although its form is just a simple cube, the home is wrapped in a glazed facade.
Mecanoo designed the house to be as transparent as possible to maximise views of its scenic setting, over a lake. The idea was to create the feeling of “living outside on water”. Windows flank all four sides of the home, providing panoramic views of the landscape from nearly every room in the house. All these aspects work together to ensure the house’s sense of timelessness. The villa is situated in a green oasis of trees and plants that hide the house from view.
Water plants along the water line alternate with stepping stones that lead to other parts of the garden. On the water side, the villa has an optimal view over the lake. Terraces on two different levels connect the villa to both the land and the water, anchoring the house in nature and giving it a welcoming presence.
“The guiding design principle was to create a house that combines transparency with sustainability, forging a strong relationship between the villa and the landscape,” said the studio.
“It is designed from inside out, creating uninterrupted views to the surrounding nature, while providing shelter and intimacy.” Discover Opulent Club on Apple News.