Everyone appreciates a room with a view, but what about a room where an entire wall is the view? Window walls provide an opportunity to make the most of your natural surroundings, whether that’s a scenic outdoor landscape or a bustling urban view. Further, the addition of a window wall will elevate the elegance of any building, be it residential or commercial.
For those who don’t know, a window wall is when one exterior barrier of a building is replaced with a large expanse of glass. This feature allows for the room with the window wall to benefit from beautiful views, an abundance of natural light, and a relatively simple yet stunning touch of luxury. These highly customizable walls can span anywhere from one panel to the entire exterior wall, depending on the client’s vision. Additionally, they can be further personalized through the customer’s chosen shapes and finishes.
DC Builders designs and constructs all of our clients’ projects using the reliable method of post-and-beam construction. This building style, otherwise referred to as timber framing, lends itself to beautiful open-concept interiors and structural longevity. Further, it allows for highly customizable floor plans as a result of the fact that less load-bearing walls are required for structural support. This makes planning for a window wall an easily navigable process. That said, there are a few important things to take into consideration.
First and foremost, the barrier you select to replace with a window wall should be well thought out. Things like security, privacy, practicality and thermal performance should all factor into your planning process. For example, a window wall could easily go from elegant aesthetic to sheer annoyance if placed in an area that is subject to intense sunlight from sunrise to sunset. Will the position of your window wall interfere with your ability to work or unwind with a blinding glare? Will it make for a compromising view into your house, where you’d be forfeiting the privilege of privacy that many have come to expect as an inherent aspect of home comfort? These are the questions you have to ask yourself during the design phase of your building project.
Determining the appropriate placement for your window wall will set the scene for all of your concerns. A window wall that is poorly placed, such as in the very front of the building, could lead to not only a decrease in privacy, but also an increased security risk. To have your valuables on display could incentivize thieves to case your home for burglary. Or worse, if you live alone, it could provide an unwanted look into your habits and vulnerability. Avoid turning your living space into a zoo by thinking about smart placement for your window wall.
A final important consideration is the materials used to construct your window wall. Window walls are more difficult to insulate than a standard curtain wall, so energy-efficient windows with elevated thermal performance to protect you against the elements is a must. DC Builders works with top-of-the-line window suppliers to ensure your window wall will allow light to come through while also deflecting heat. Download our digital catalog and start making plans for your own elegant structure replete with a dramatically beautiful window wall.
