Window in the roof: More daylight for interiors. Use in modern architecture.
Light not only fulfills an essential utility function, providing visibility and comfort in everyday life, but also plays a key role as an element enriching the aesthetics of residential and office spaces.
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Maximizing natural light in a deep interior through a window in the roof
How can a two-storey building with an unfavourable layout, with a depth of almost six metres and a long, oblong fire wall of about 18 metres, be transformed so that every room enjoys natural light all day long? This was the challenge faced by the Katowice architect during the renovation of a residential building in one of the central districts of the city.
The project began with the reorganization of the interior space. “The first step was to move the entrances to the interiors to allow maximum daylight to penetrate through the façade windows into the living spaces,” explains the architect. Subsequently, the existing windows were enlarged and new ones were added. An additional window was installed on the ground floor, two partially bricked-up window openings were reconstructed, unnecessary partitions were removed, as well as a glass door and two large, fixed panes reaching from the floor to the ceiling were installed.
Natural light through a new window in the roof
The architect used similar solutions in the case of the roofs of a building in the centre of Katowice: he added four new windows to the three existing windows in the roof, cutting holes in the roof covering. The architect also made punctures in numerous walls and ceilings, which allowed for additional lighting not only of the rooms directly under the skylights. For example, thanks to one of the skylights, natural light reaches the staircase connecting the ground floor to the first floor through the attic atrium.
The interior room on the ground floor, deprived of direct access to outside light, receives daylight thanks to an opening in the wall that connects it to the adjacent room. “Simulating structural changes and lighting effects with the working model was extremely helpful. I also often use perspective drawings,” the architect describes his working methods. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage, as when he decided to punch a hole in the ceiling to test the lighting possibilities – and ultimately enjoyed the positive result of the experiment, leaving the window in the roof as a permanent structural element.
Elimination of daylight barriers from roof windows
In the rooms, the architect reduced to a minimum elements that could block the flow of light. For example, it was decided to remove the intermediate doors, and other potential obstacles to light were made of semi-transparent materials, such as perforated wooden stairs with minimalist balustrades. The walls covered with lime plaster and painted with mineral white paint not only enhance the light, airy atmosphere, but also play a key functional role, as the architect explains: “The new windows in the roof are positioned so that at least one side of them washes out the wall. This, in turn, serves as a reflective surface.” Thanks to the use of different levels and structures, many white interior elements eliminate monotony.
Designing reflections and shadows from windows in a roof
In some cases, for example, the partially suspended ceiling that hides the installations crosses the new chimney placed in the central part of the room. A lower cable duct adjoins the chimney. Both the chimney and the duct are enclosed on both sides with bases, creating functional shelves. Sometimes a steel beam is visible, other times the door opening is finished with a recessed casing. These structural elements generate shadows cast by natural light that evolve throughout the day, giving dynamics and depth to the rooms.
After dark, when natural light gives way to darkness, artificial lighting takes over the role of lighting. “It’s not the light sources that are important, but the light effect,” he emphasizes the designer’s philosophy. Therefore, in the area of the window in the roof, several discreet pendant lamps or wall lamps were installed, which are almost invisible from the living room level. There are only a few places in the entire building from which you can directly observe the window in the roof, which further emphasizes the subtlety of the lighting design.
Artificial lighting discreetly integrated into the windows in the roof
The huge glass surface is divided only by the longitudinal ridge and the structural beam. Continuous glass panels, extending from the ridge to the eaves, form a slightly sloped gable roof, taking advantage of the rain’s natural ability to self-clean. To maintain the feeling of “being outside”, the glass roof has been integrated into the existing wall in the eaves area. The special acoustic plaster on the walls refers to the external plaster.
Artificial light sources do not dominate the space, but are subtly placed in the background. “Instead of installing the lighting directly under the glass roof, we used the static roof structure as a lighting element, equipping it with LED strips,” explains the architect. Artificial light, which also reaches the former garden from the adjacent corridors through openings in the walls, provides sufficient illumination of the atrium at night, creating a coherent and functional whole.
Priority for daylight from windows in the roof
Two spacious training rooms, located in the previously undeveloped attic of the building, are as impressive as the main hall of the music academy. They are illuminated by modular windows in the roof arranged symmetrically on both sides of the roof ridge. “We discovered a partially preserved historical roof structure, which we decided not only to preserve, but also to exhibit,” says the architect. “However, we did not want to condemn the musicians to work in a dark room with a cinematic atmosphere.”
In places where the original roof structure has been preserved, the ceiling has been opened up to the roof ridge, and the previously welded beams are now visible. Artificial light strips were installed between them. A second, slightly smaller training room has been created in another part of the building, which provides a modern contrast under a completely new roof without the obstacles of beams. Here, the light Longlights are integrated into the micro-perforated oak upholstery of the insulating walls, creating the effect of elongated rays of light that shine through a window in the roof.
Use of light colors and materials
Throughout the facility, not only in the conference room and the two training rooms, bright colors prevail – from white, through cream, to beige. The walls are covered with lime plaster, exclusive quartz sinters and oak boards were used as floors. “We care about preserving the soul of this place. That is why it was crucial for us to maintain the monastic heritage. It is important for us to continue the work with existing elements and materials, as well as to properly highlight the novelty,” explains the architect.
Autor: Tomasz Matuszek; Dział Marketingu - Firma Gulajski