Photos: Atelier FCJZ
This concrete dwelling isn’t as cold as it looks at first glance. Designed by Chinese firm Atelier FCJZ, Shanghai’s Vertical House does indeed have windows. But instead of looking out, they look up and down.
Yes, the floors and ceilings in the four-level home are made entirely of glass, even above and below the bathroom.
Atelier FCJZ built the home for the West Bund Biennale of Architecture and Contemporary Art, where it serves as a guesthouse for visiting artists and architects. We turn to Dezeen for more:
According to project architect Lu Bai, the house is a 90-degree rotation of the typical glass houses completed during the Modernist period, placing more of an emphasis on spirituality and materials.
“With enclosed walls and transparent floors as well as roof, the house opens to the sky and the earth, positions the inhabitant right in the middle, and creates a place for meditation,” he explained.
So while the interior of Vertical House may be hidden from the outside world, the concept of privacy has been thrown out the window (through the roof) among its inhabitants.
More info and images can be found on Dezeen.
