A future homeowner with a lot on the elevated east bench of Provo, Utah, knew exactly what he had in front of him: spectacular views of the city below and Utah Lake beyond it. So he turned to designer Richard McCann of Blackbox Design Studios in Salt Lake City to provide him with a modern home that maximized the stunning vistas.
“The entire design of the home was centered on the lot and its views of the valley below,” McCann says. “So the idea was to try to get as much glass as possible on the home’s west façade, where the views were.”
Mission accomplished. The beautiful two-story, 6,600-square-foot residence features two massive Western Window Systems window walls (one on each story) on the front of the home. Each window wall features five rows of three large horizontal panes of glass, perfect for letting in copious amounts of Utah sunshine.
“The owners have a less-conventional décor taste that really benefits from a lot of light. And the space is dynamic during any part of the day,” McCann says, “whether you’re taking in the sunset reflecting on the lake or looking out at the city lights at night.”
And given that the huge array of glass panels faces west, solar heat gain was definitely a concern for McCann, but he reports that the Western Window Systems windows, with their low U-values and thermally broken aluminum frames, met the energy requirements needed. “After a full summer in the home, the owner is very satisfied with the windows’ energy performance,” he says.
But it’s not just the front of the house that benefits from huge expanses of glass. The back of the home features indoor-outdoor living areas connected by Western Window Systems multi-slide doors. One leads from an in-home recording studio through a glass walkway and out to the backyard swimming pool. Two other multi-slides open from the upper levels out to patios overlooking the backyard, providing still more striking views of the Provo valley.
“The owner wanted as much view as possible,” McCann says, “so utilizing large multi-slide doors maximized both the natural light and the views. The multi-slide doors are a great option that allow for maximum access to the patios and outdoor spaces while still providing a smart, clean look that we were intent on achieving.”
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