Architect: Howard Meier, AIA; Dallas, TX
Stairwell Landing Window
4.4' w. by 4.3' h.
With rising heating and cooling costs for this International Style residence, the existing flat gravel roof was replaced with a single-ply insulating roof. Next the glare from the new white roofing material had to be considered. That’s where I came in. Curtains or screens were out of the question. This was the window through which morning sun and the trees beyond greeted family members each morning as upon arising from the upstairs bedrooms. Stained glass was the perfect solution on may levels.
In addition to the rich horizontal detailing of the architecture, an incredible art collection of original 20th century paintings including Mondrians, Albers, and Lichtensteins resides inside. For the most part this collection relies almost exclusively on black, white and primary colors for its palette. This is echoed in the stained glass palette (remember, green is actually one of the primary lights although not a primary pigment). Black glass and denser colors are used in the lower areas of the window to block most of the offending glare. Sparkling clear glass in the upper section preserves views to the tree canopies beyond. Red triangles echo massive hardwood stair treads that are triangular in section. Vertical linework in the clear glass resonate with the impressive stairwell’s steel railing.
Materials: German mouthblown glass, domestic rolled glass, lead, solder.