Architecture

Casa Annunziata is the kind of glass house you could actually live in

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Casa Annunziata, by Specht Architects, came about when the owners of an ornate 18th century mansion decided to downsize their home to something more modern
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata, by Specht Architects, came about when the owners of an ornate 18th century mansion decided to downsize their home to something more modern
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata is situated on a large rural plot measuring 9.75 acres (3.94 hectares)
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata's overhanging roof is designed to help shade the interior and reduce solar heat gain
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata's interior is very open and measures 2,000 sq ft (185 sq m), all of which is on one floor
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata's interior layout places the living room, kitchen and dining area at the center of the home
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata's interior finishes are very high-end and include seamless porcelain wall and floor surfaces, and European oak cabinetry throughout
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata features a master bedroom, pictured, and a guest bedroom
Dror Baldinger
Casa Annunziata includes a main bathroom, shown, and a secondary guest bathroom
Dror Baldinger
The owners' extensive art collection was a key focus of the project and Casa Annunziata features several storage areas, as well as areas to show it off
Dror Baldinger
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Though they fascinate us, a lot of glass houses miss the mark when it comes to practicality or comfort. Casa Annunziata is different. The home features a stylish modernist design that offers the benefits of lots of glass, such as excellent light and views, while addressing potential drawbacks like solar heat gain.

The Casa Annunziata project came about when the owners of an 18th Century mansion decided to downsize and modernize, and hired Specht Architects to design something that would be suitable for themselves and their extensive art collection. They sold their previous residence and most of its sprawling estate, but kept a parcel of 9.75 acres (3.94 hectares) in Mansfield, Massachusetts, to themselves.

Bringing to mind modernist touchstones like Philip Johnson's Glass House, the home is arranged simply on one floor and is wrapped in extensive glazing, with an overhanging roof to offer shade and reduce heating and cooling requirements.

"The house itself is an extreme departure from the owner's previous residence," explained Specht Architects. "It is a 2,000-square-foot [185-sq-m] single-story pavilion that is largely glass, with a thin floating roof that cantilevers 15 ft [4.5 m] from the perimeter walls. This provides protection from the sun and wind, limiting the need for AC and heating. A wraparound porch mirrors the roof and also 'floats' above the landscape."

Casa Annunziata's interior layout places the living room, kitchen and dining area at the center of the home
Dror Baldinger

With its rural location, the owners don't need to worry about passersby staring in at them, so almost the entire home is on show, including the bedrooms and even areas of the bathrooms, meaning there's always an excellent view available to those within. The interior layout is very minimalist and open, with the living room, dining room and kitchen at the center, and a bedroom and bathroom on each side of the home. The finishes are luxurious and high-end, with seamless porcelain wall and floor surfaces, European oak cabinetry, and quartz in the kitchen.

However, this minimalism contrasts with the extensive art and ornaments, which are dotted throughout the home. To help make it all fit, Specht Architects installed built-in storage and corridor closet space with glass shelves and LED lighting to display it all.

The owners' extensive art collection was a key focus of the project and Casa Annunziata features several storage areas, as well as areas to show it off
Dror Baldinger

"[Specht Architects founder] Scott gave us the suggestions and avenues of how to best utilize the homeowners' antiques – such as the 16th and 17th century forged fireside/kitchen tools hanging on the master bathroom wall and the 'Pantry Gallery Wall' of the 17th, 18th, 19th century paintings," adds co-owner Patrick Annunziata. "He created the corridor closets (behind the 10-ft/3-m doors) where the overflow of precious personal treasures could be stored on glass shelves with LED lighting, 'showing off' for all to enjoy. Our minimal modern glass house does not feel minimal, but rather spiritual. The living experience is full and ever changing with the seasons, weather and daily animal activity."

Source: Specht Architects

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7 comments
paul314
I hope they've got good UV filtering in that glass to protect the art works.
solas
"The design's key focus was the owner's extensive art collection" ... um, an all glass design is directly, and in every way, antithetical to an extensive art collection: sunlight destruction of said art (see paul314), uncontrollable lighting conditions (aka glare), actual usable display/wall space (it's all glass), very-difficult temp control (I have been in many all-glass, very modern arch buildings, and, in every one, including heat-pump designs, the sun-facing is extremely warm, the shadow facing cold), and ... a subjective comment: all-glass designs are simply begging the occupants to look outside. See the view. Not see, or look, at anything inside.
Claudio
Art collection facing washing machine and dryer?
Nice choice, other that being in a narrow alley: what doesn't get damaged by direct sunlight, will surely "benefit" from humidity and heat... ;-)
Hasler
Very reminiscent of some of Mies van der Rohe buildings, though his own study was the very opposite, with chintz curtains and lots of .bric-à-brac This is a house to be seen in; not for normal living.
ljaques
An utterly lifeless house, in shades of gray, with white ceilings to offer some humanity back.
How long will that godawful slab floor remain in one piece, before becoming rife with cracks?
The "artwork" I see deserves the UV, heat, and humidity, it would appear.
Love the large porches, though.
Nelson Hyde Chick
An architect's wet dream. So impractible, but these are rich people, so what do they care how much energy it will need to keep this habitable.
Karmudjun
Not my cup of tea! But where do the comments about light destroying paintings come from? The paintings are on inside walls away from the light and basically stored with no artistic flare. Clearly a "unique" house for "unique" people who don't live normal lives. When your wealth is tied up in paintings and you have freed yourself from the costs & upkeep of an 18th century mansion - why not build a "unique" retirement abode and do as you please. Thankfully they haven't asked me over to spend an evening. I can't look at art so cluttered and so close - nor do I like the house exposure. But to each their own!