flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Pop-out balcony is a breath of fresh air for stuffy hotel rooms and apartments

Great Solutions

Pop-out balcony is a breath of fresh air for stuffy hotel rooms and apartments

In less than one minute, Bloomframe transforms from an insulated picture window to an open balcony.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | March 8, 2017

Humans have a fascination with things that transform. Today, our laptops can become tablets with a flick of the wrist. At the turn of the 21st century, pants that zipped off into shorts were (for some reason) everywhere. Go back further to the late 1980s and kids were looking just a little bit harder at that Pontiac Trans Am or Volkswagen Beetle driving by, hoping to catch a glimpse of a few robots in disguise.

A new invention from Amsterdam-based architecture firm HofmanDujardin may not involve warring factions of transforming robots, but the real-world possibilities it represents are exciting nonetheless.

Bloomframe is a mechanized window system that transforms, at the touch of a button, into a glass balcony in less than one minute. The window can help to open up and bring fresh air into what could otherwise be a cramped, enclosed space typical of many apartments in large cities.

Engineered by Kawneer France using lightweight aluminum, glass, and steel, Bloomframe has been rigorously tested under European safety codes.

When transitioning, the two separate glass panels of the window fold out to become the floor and front ledge of the balcony. The two side panels are formed from telescoping metal components that are hidden by the window frame when the balcony is in the closed position.

The dimensions, color, and materials for Bloomframe are completely adaptable, and it doesn’t require any major engineering work to install—meaning it can be easily incorporated in new or existing projects. 

An apartment building in Amsterdam, designed by HofmanDujardin, will provide the first real-world application of Bloomframe when it is completed later this year. Select dwellings in the 10-unit CPO De Hallen Noord Amsterdam complex will be equipped Bloomframe windows. 

 

Related Stories

Great Solutions | Apr 5, 2018

IAQ monitoring for all

San Francisco startup Bitfinder debuts a commercial-grade version of its air quality monitoring system.

Great Solutions | Mar 9, 2018

Forget the wall thermostat: Wear one on your wrist instead

The Embr Wave Wristband acts like a personal thermostat and could become a user-friendly component in building energy-saving strategies.

Great Solutions | Feb 8, 2018

Stackable steel modules speed building core construction

With this patented, steel-and-concrete hybrid system, the service core will no longer be the schedule bottleneck on new construction projects.

Great Solutions | Jan 10, 2018

Blue lagoon technology brings the beach anywhere in the world

From coastal resorts to inner cities, these large-scale clear-water lagoons offer a slice of paradise.

Great Solutions | Oct 17, 2017

Loop NYC would reclaim 24 miles of park space from Manhattan’s street grid

A new proposal leverages driverless cars to free up almost all of Manhattan’s Park Avenue and Broadway for pedestrian paths.

Great Solutions | Sep 14, 2017

Hydraulic underground boardwalk and gangway system reunites the public with the coastline in Istanbul

The bespoke system is part of a master plan by Dror and Gensler that creates the world’s first underground cruise operation.

Great Solutions | Aug 14, 2017

Transmogrifying ‘E ink,’ energy-harvesting paint remove the ‘fiction’ from ‘science fiction’

These materials can turn an ordinary wall into dynamic real estate.

Great Solutions | Jul 12, 2017

The writing on the wall: Maker spaces encourage students to take an active role

Maker spaces, dry-erase walls, and flexible furniture highlight Kinkaid’s new Learning Center.

Great Solutions | Jun 6, 2017

Good vibrations: Portable tuned mass damper provides lightweight, cost-effective way to reduce structural vibrations

Developed by a team at Virginia Tech, the PTMD has been shown to reduce vibrations by as much as 75%.

Great Solutions | May 5, 2017

No nails necessary: Framing system comes together with steel zip ties and screws

Clemson University’s School of Architecture develops a patent-pending construction method that is gaining attention for its potential use in rapid, low-tech sustainable housing.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category



Great Solutions

41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors

AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.


halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021