In the middle of a quiet area in Münsterland, the Beckstein family has built their dream home. Divided into two sections, the single-family home impresses with its well-balanced architecture - always with one major goal in mind: to connect the inside and outside. To achieve this, large glass facades were created throughout the building using sliding windows, which provide seamless views to the outside both when open and closed.
For the Becksteins, the saying "Nature in the changing times" now has a whole new meaning. In their transparent home, they can observe the play of colors of the seasons on trees, shrubs, and in the garden from every point in the house. "It's almost as if we're living in the middle of nature," laughs the homeowner. "One or two animals also visit us. Naturally, there is always something for our grandchildren to experience and discover."
Architect Karsten Schlattmeier designed the roof and facade of their home with green-grey natural slate, combined with light wooden strips on the exterior wall. The interplay of these materials makes the detached house appear as a unit even from the outside and blends perfectly into the natural surroundings.
In order to blur the boundaries between inside and outside even more clearly, the construction family wanted to integrate the Solarlux system. With a size of up to 15 square meters per glass element and particularly narrow profiles of just 34 millimetres, cero allows a clear view of the outside even when closed. Despite the supposedly heavy weight of up to one tonne per pane, the sliding windows can be gently slid to the side on a barrier-free track - electronically if required - and open up the living space to the outside.
The cero sliding windows from Solarlux create a feeling of boundless freedom and blurred boundaries. They can be opened - electronically if desired - and open up the living space to the outside.
The architect also came up with a clever architectural solution for the open sliding windows: some of the open windows disappear completely into wall pockets, leaving nothing but open space. And when parked in front of the other glazing, the view is unobstructed. They not only let in light, but also warmth and nature. And should the sun shine too brightly, the Becksteins simply lower their fabric blinds to provide pleasant shade. Rooms without ceilings and windows set into the corners of the roof reinforce the feeling of transparency and freedom.
Clever: the open sliding windows disappear elegantly into a wall pocket. If the sun shines too brightly, the roller blinds can simply be lowered to provide pleasant shade.
But despite the numerous fluid transitions between indoors and outdoors, there are also clear boundaries - at least in the house. The Becksteins have deliberately divided their home into two separate buildings - one for the private rooms such as the bedroom and one for the public areas such as the kitchen or living area. They are also connected by a transparent central corridor and merge seamlessly into one another.
A glass corridor leads from the living area to the private rooms.
