The benefits of prefabrication are by now well-documented: prefabricated construction is cheaper, faster, better for the environment, and more consistent than traditional forms of architectural construction. At the same time, it can be used for a wide range of unique designs, calculated to meet a client’s specific needs. To take advantage of these many benefits, however, the prefabrication systems and products themselves must meet a certain standard of quality and flexibility.
Below, we consider five architectural projects using custom glass windows and doors by Western Window Systems, each designed to maximize utility for prefabricated and modular construction logics. Beyond their suitability for prefabricated construction, these products also maximize views, aesthetics, and functionality, blurring the line between indoor and outdoor living.
Beach Bungalow on Long Island Sound
This waterfront home, designed by Jonathan Tucker of Resolution: 4 Architecture, sits on the Great Peconic Bay on Long Island and utilizes multi-slide glass doors to maximize views of the bay. Sitting at 1650 square feet of entirely prefabricated construction, with assembled modules set atop a lifted steel frame to adjust for potential flooding, the bungalow includes a central courtyard and wide deck boasting unobstructed views of the bay. The architects selected Western Window Systems' Series 600 Sliding Glass Doors not only to seamlessly connect the home to its natural surroundings, but also to take advantage of the natural daylight and ventilation afforded by these wide and operable glass openings. Furthermore, Tucker cited the series’ customizability as an enormous draw, which allowed the architects and clients to optimize the size of windows in a way best suited to their needs and to the flexibility required for prefabrication and assembly. The Series 600 Sliding Glass Door can conform to nearly any configuration up to 72" wide and 144" tall per panel.
Santa Monica Corner Lot
This prefabricated home, designed by architect Jennifer Siegal for a 25-foot by 100-foot lot in Santa Monica, makes the most of its limited area with two floors, an open plan, and a back patio utilizing Western Window Systems' Series 600 Multi-Slide Door. The sliding door allows the client—who is also, in this case, the architect—to make the most of the natural ventilation coming from Santa Monica’s Pacific Ocean breezes. In further consideration of the city’s unique weather, the architect installed Western Window Systems' Series 670 Awning and Casement Windows on its second floor, which uses thermally broken aluminum and dual-paned low-E glass for improved energy performance in the California heat. The customizability in terms of type, color, and thickness was also utilized to optimize the product for the climate and client needs, and eased the difficulty of integration into prefabricated construction.
Marmol Radziner Gem
Marmol Radziner Prefab is a celebrated architecture firm specializing in prefabricated construction, using Western Window Systems as its exclusive window and door supplier. This gem designed by Marmol is widely appreciated among the design community and had previously graced the cover of Dwell magazine’s December 2011 Prefab Perfected issue. The architects utilized wide sliding glass doors and windows to connect the home’s interior area to its outdoor living and recreational spaces, as well as to the beautiful natural surroundings of trees and rolling hills.
Napa Valley Winery
This prefabricated home, also designed by Marmol Radziner Prefab, overlooks a winery in Napa Valley. This design uses Western Window Systems' 600 Series Window Wall and multi-slide doors to maximize the natural lighting and optimize sprawling views of the winery. With wide, durable, and energy-efficient glass window and door options, the home is both beautiful and protected from the California heat.
California Modern
This final example of a prefabricated California home utilizes Western Window Systems' Series 600 Sliding patio doors, Series 600 Multi-Slides, Series 900 Hinged Doors, hinged windows, and more. The modern style of this multi-story house melds well with the sleek and minimalist design of Western Window Systems' glass windows and doors.
