Panoramic windows unite form and function with nature

This beautiful single-storey home in Romania has an idyllic location between a forest and a lake, and unites form with function with its picturesque surroundings.

Designed by its owner, architect Razvan Oprescu of LLOX Architecten, solid walls support a roof terrace that appears to float over interior spaces and a spectacular expanses of glazing looking out towards the water. Inspired by the works of modernist master architect Mies van der Rohe, the house is a fitting contemporary example of his ‘Less is More’ principle.

On the lakefront of Buftea, just north-west of Bucharest and near his childhood home in Romania, Oprescu built a multifunctional home to serve his family, including three teenage children.

Occupying a site of 3200m², the house has a total floor area of 560m² comprising an infinity pool, basketball court and home cinema.

The architect said that the design of the house had to be functional in order to accommodate all sorts of different requirements: allowing for parties and entertaining, whilst providing privacy and a sense of connection to the natural surroundings for each member of the family.

Connection with nature

Thanks to a variety of aluminium window and doors from Reynaers at Home, large expanses of glazing streamline the transition from interior to exterior spaces, offering a feeling of freedom and a connection with nature.

Oprescu’s design for the house has series of horizontally oriented solid walls, supporting a 700m² roof terrace that seems to float over the expansive floor space below, freeing the interior by allowing for clear thresholds. Built over a single level, all areas of the house are fully accessible, while at the same time offering distance between rooms and privacy for each member of the family.

With views and indoor to outdoor connections central to the design, the house features an impressive 130m² of glazing.

Using a combination of Reynaers at Home CS 77 windows and doors, a CP 130 sliding door and the CW 50 aluminium glazed walls overlooking the lake, the architect was able to create a spacious and modern home to cater to all members of his family.

CS 77 has been awarded the coveted Swiss Minergie component label and is a thermally-broken, multi-chambered system for windows and doors that offers excellent levels of security, weather resistance and thermal insulation. It offers a comprehensive range of inward- and outward-opening window and door designs that are available in a range of three different styles, making it ideal for both traditional and contemporary building designs.

Stringent standards

Anticipating stringent thermal requirements, the insulation value (Uf) for the high insulation window can reach as low as 1.2 W/m²K. The Reynaers systems used in the Buftea home are triple glazed – relatively new to the Romanian construction industry – as the unique concept of the window makes it perfectly suited for triple glazing.

The window’s performance regarding acoustics, water and air tightness meets the most stringent of European standards. What’s more, CS 77 aluminium windows offer different levels of burglar resistance (class 2 and 3).

The CS 77 window is available as an inward and outward opening window and is compatible with CS 77 doors and CP 130 sliding doors. The window is suitable for all types of buildings, even with the highest safety requirements.

Also available is CS 77 window for accessible homes. The window for accessible homes is a variant of the CS 77 window system, which has proved to be hugely popular over recent years and remains Reynaers’ best-selling window system in the UK. This highly insulated window offers excellent performance and great versatility.

Reynaers at Home is a premium brand dedicated to offering the very best architectural glazing products and service to the discerning householder. For more information email homeuk@reynaers.com or call 0121 421 9707.