FREEDOM ON EVERY LEVEL

Many home owners decide to build wintergardens because they want to expand their living space. It is unusual for a new build to include a glazed extension right from its inception. Nevertheless, wintergardens are always a good choice for home owners with special wishes and specifications.

In the Dutch town of Woerden, one couple knew right from the beginning that they wanted a wintergarden for their new home. The benefits were obvious: the ability to enjoy the outdoors all year round, plenty of daylight in their living room, and a higher quality of life. The wintergarden also complemented the energy-efficient design of their house perfectly, as its west-facing orientation meant that both the roof and the glazed front would get a lot of sun and warmth. This meant that the couple would not need to use their heating much, leaving the energy generated by their heat pump and solar panels for use in the main building.

When it came to building their new home, the owners knew exactly what they wanted: a cubic, dark stone structure next to a tall building with a monopitch roof and a light wooden facade. The original shape of the building gives the impression that it is made up of two separate buildings that have been wedged into one another, while the combination of wood, stone, aluminium and glass used in the design lends it a unique flair. The property is also in the perfect location – the stone build is bordered by a spacious garden with a lakeside view.

To round off their unique home, the couple decided to build a custom wintergarden that would tie the individual concept together and give them an unobstructed view of their idyllic surroundings. With its monopitch roof, thermally insulated aluminium profiles and internal structural members, the SDL Akzent Vision by German manufacturer Solarlux was the perfect choice. The building adjoins the outdoor area via Solarlux bi-folding doors along its longest front. With a profile sight line of just 99 mm in the panel butt joint, these offer incredible transparency, and they can also be opened up and folded away to the side. The owners were already familiar with this ingenious glazing solution from their last house and couldn’t bear to go without it in their new home – especially not in the wintergarden. How else could they achieve that seamless transition between their indoor living space and their patio?

Bi-folding doors have also been fitted for access to the kitchen, the bedroom and the gym. When opened all the way, these let in plenty of fresh air and offer an impressive view. And when the weather is less clement, they can be closed again in just a few seconds, unfolding like an accordion. The aluminium used in the window profiles is reflected throughout the building, so the glass fronts and the wintergarden blend in perfectly with the overall concept. And thanks to the incredible openness and transparency the solution offers, the couple always have a great view of the lake from their home.