See-Through Glass House
Written by Jennifer Heyns
This house is a story of “what you see is what you get,” or so it would appear at first glance of the transparent structure. Luckily, this Costa Rican house is situated roughly 20 miles from the nearest town (and by the looks of it, neighbors as well), so privacy is not an issue here. But in a house where everything appears to be in the open, it’s what you don’t see that will surprise you.
With its flat, service station-style roof and see-through floors, the ISEAMI House looks fairly simple and straightforward. Delve in a little deeper, however, and you’ll find that this is a very special home.
To begin, it’s not just a house; it’s also the headquarters of the sustainable institute, ISEAMI. ISEAMI stands for Institute of Sustainability, Ecology, Art, Mind and Investigation. This unique home is a study in all of the things for which the institute stands, collated into one compact structure designed by Robles Arquitectos.
The head of ISEAMI will occupy the top floor of the house, while the ground level will be dedicated to the work of the institute. The ground floor pulls a second duty, however. It will also be used to entertain employees and guests, while teaching them of the goals of ISEAMI.
Second, the house is completely self-sustaining. Its remote location made it the perfect project for investigating responsible building and sustainable living. The building is essentially a solar power plant. It can exist completely off of the power grid, with the roof-mounted solar energy system providing all necessary electricity.
Taking that green idea a few steps further, the house also features a solar water heater, as well as thermal panels and recycled plastic louvers. The materials were chosen very carefully in order to ensure the house was the complete embodiment of everything for which the institute stands.
The institute, in building the structure, performed an investigation and chose to construct the home/headquarters out of resources that would not only have the least impact on the surrounding environment, but also allow the house to be minimally impacted by its surroundings.
The ultimate result is a modestly sized dwelling atop a modestly sized association. But despite its diminutive volume the interior is a monument in simple elegance with absolutely breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
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