When it comes to multifamily living, more and more residents are interested in outdoor living space—patios, balconies, and terraces that bring light into their homes and allow them to enjoy nature.
The right mix of windows and doors can make a big difference in how well the outdoor space works with interior living areas, says Scott L. Leventhal, president and CEO of Tivoli Properties, an Atlanta-based firm that is developing two condo projects in Atlanta: the 94-unit Mezzo and the 84-unit Aqua. Both projects feature balconies or terraces that have panoramic views of the city.
“There is nothing more exiting than overlooking the urban action from a wonderful outdoor space in a high-rise,” Leventhal says. “The integration of outdoor living is pivotal to the whole urban living experience. Usable outdoor space provides an opportunity for residents to become one with the action.”
Many years ago, most multifamily projects featured smaller conventional windows; today, urban and suburban projects often offer wall-to-wall windows, French doors, or sliding patio doors that open to balconies, or terraces that are 8 feet to 10 feet deep, says Jerry Kaufman, principal of Regalia Holdings, a Aventura, Fla.-based developer that is building Regalia, a 42-story condo tower in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. Regalia's residences feature unobstructed, 360-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway and 10-foot deep terraces.
“We find that, in all climates, the balcony that used to be a place to put laundry out or store the bicycle or occasional plant has dramatically changed to deeper, wider balconies, terraces, and patios,” Kaufman says. “They allow families to cook, drink, and enjoy outdoor events.”
Jennifer Popovec is a freelance writer in Fort Worth, Texas.
Q & A
Cool Question of the Month
How can developers take advantage of natural amenities such as parks, lakes, and beaches near their projects?
Our newest project, Tribute Lofts, is located ‘‘ within the 210-acre Freedom Park, so we wanted to link the park to our development as much as possible and encourage its use. We've incorporated amenities such as bicycle cleaning and pet grooming areas that are adjacent to the park, and we also brought the park inside the project by creating a lushly landscaped, park-like courtyard in the interior on top of the parking structure. The courtyard features a fountain, benches, Wi-Fi, and a grilling area. We also created what we call the “SkyPad” to take advantage of the park views. The SkyPad is located on the seventh floor and offers amenities such as a spa, sundeck, fire pit, and BBQ grill. Like the central courtyard, it provides opportunities to bring people together and encourage social interaction.
Greg Wohl is principal of The InVision Group, an Atlanta-based firm that is developing Tribute Lofts, a mixed-use project with 152 condo units and ground-floor retail in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward.
Got a question? Got an answer? E-mail Rachel Azoff at razoff@hanleywood.com”
AROUND THE CORNER: Views won't be marred with JELD-WEN's Exterior Folding Door System, which offers a 90-degree corner that can be completely opened to the outdoors. The folding door units meet at the corner, where two walls would ordinarily join. When it's time to open the doors, they fold back accordion-style from the corner inward. For more information, contact JELD-WEN at 800-535-3936 or visit www.jeld-wen.com.
SCREEN SAVER: Enjoy the outdoors without insects with Pella Corp.'s sliding doors with Rolscreen. This retractable screen rolls away and out of sight when not in use. When you need it, it's ready to roll. The Rolscreen is available on all Pella sliding doors in the Architect and Designer series. For more information, contact Pella Corp. at 800-374-4758 or visit www.pella.com.
BEAUTY AND THE BREEZE: It's no longer necessary to choose between picture windows or ones that open. Marvin Windows and Doors has created a venting picture window that offers views and cross ventilation. The window features a patent-pending hidden screen, and the window's sash projects 2.25 inches outward. For more information, contact Marvin Windows and Doors at 888-537-8266 or visit www.marvin.com.
FOUR'S A CHARM: A pair of panels not enough? Consider Andersen Corp.'s four-panel gliding patio door. Two middle door panels slide over the two side doors, maximizing outside exposure. The patio door comes in oak, maple, or pine interior and a variety of grille patterns and styles. For more information, contact Andersen at 800-426-4261 or visit www.andersenwindows.com.
AHEAD OF THE CURVE: Think outside of the rectangle. Hurd Window and Door's new patio doors have curved tops that meet in the middle. Constructed of aluminum-clad wood, the doors swing open rather than slide. They are available in nine wood species, along with many glazing options. For more information, contact Hurd Windows and Doors at 800-433-4873 or visit www.hurd.com.
Hot Product Of The Month
VERTICAL LIMIT: Floor-to-ceiling windows look good, but they're not exactly conducive to privacy. That's why Hunter Douglas has created Skyline(tm) Gliding Window Panels. These window panels feature 111/2-inch or 17-inch panels in 187 different fabrics including sheers, semi-opaques, opaques, and natural and woven grasses. The panels overlap one another for a clean, crisp look with continuous coverage, and a patented proprietary hardware system allows for an infinite number of panels to be attached to one headrail system. Additionally, panels can be made with left- or right-facing panels to best direct the way light will enter a room. The panel track system can even be used as a room divider to separate large areas. For more information contact Hunter Douglas at 800-789-0331or visit www.hunterdouglas.com.