New apartments are
becoming more and more competitive for single-family homes. Their
attractiveness is enhanced by, inter alia, effective intermediate zones:
magnificent balconies, secluded loggias and spacious terraces located, among
others, on roofs.
Flowers and shrubs on
the terrace will provide comfort and intimacy
When buying a flat, we
also buy its surroundings. Designers of new estates treat these two elements as
a whole - in the prospectus of the developers, the appearance of the building,
the arrangement of the surrounding space is as important as the apartment
itself. The apartments are furnished with green courtyards, courtyards and
patios, as well as carefully arranged staircases and corridors - they, on a par
with the premises and its high quality equipment, affect the value of the flat.
The balconies, loggias and terraces that connect them with the attractive
surroundings are also synonymous with quality of life, everyday comfort and
prestige. When buying a new flat, let's take a closer look at them.
Balcony transformations
Access to outdoor space
does not have to be a privilege only for those who own a house, where you can
find yourself in your own garden practically at any time, regardless of the way
you connect the building to the outside. The forms of linking the flat with the
outside have also been developed by multi-family housing - balconies and
loggias of various forms, shapes and dimensions are an architectural element
successfully practiced for centuries. Even if they did not serve recreation,
they created a language of specific communication with the outside world, above
all with the street. The subtle shapes of balcony slabs, decorative balustrades
- it is the form of balconies that often underlined the representative
character of tenement houses. The balconies were also not abandoned in the
construction of the times of the PRL, which resources we still use, often
struggling with the consequences of using poor quality materials or contractor
contraction. In this case, the victims of this low quality were balconies. Leaking
ferroconcrete slabs, clumsy balustrades, narrow, difficult to arrange space are
just one of the many reasons why balconies or even large loggias have been
poorly used by the inhabitants of PRL blocks for years. Despite renovation and
modernization, which currently mostly pass buildings from those years, old
balconies do not match the standard of balconies and loggias in new buildings.
Balconies in currently
constructed buildings have larger dimensions and are not a source of heat loss.
A new technical and
design standard
Balconies and loggias in
new buildings are a completely different quality in terms of the technologies
and materials used, as well as the design concept. Nowadays it is possible to
produce reinforced concrete slabs, which have a large span, which allows you to
design balconies with greater depth. Using special fasteners, it is possible to
connect the slab with the building wall without the risk of thermal bridges,
which usually form on the wall and the reinforced concrete slab. Balcony tiles
in new buildings are no longer so exposed to corrosion and leakage, and this is
due to the widespread use of balcony systems, consisting of materials and
products intended for the proper implementation of all layers of balconies and
terraces. Finished with a frost-resistant panel cladding - high quality gres,
stone or composite boards - they are durable. Also, the walls of balconies and
loggias are finished differently than they used to be - it is usually a
wood-based panel, natural stone or plasters imitating them. The distinguishing
feature of modern intermediate zones are balustrades - full glass or spatial
made of acid resistant steel. A suitable material for filling the balustrade is
laminated mineral glass, with spot fasteners made of stainless steel. They are
made of two or three hardened sheets of glass with a PVB foil glued between
them. It makes the railing safe - resistant to impacts, and when it is broken,
it breaks, but does not break down into dangerous debris. The metal structure
can also be filled with glass cracked in the middle, so-called frozen or mashed. There are
balustrades with plexiglass or acrylic glass filling. It is nearly 40% lighter
than mineral glass - although it may break under the influence of impact, it
does not break into sharp pieces, it does not become discolored due to UV
radiation.
In modern apartments,
balcony doors often occupy almost the entire width of the wall
Value added
A balcony or loggia is
not a synonym of luxury at the moment, it is rather a standard of modernly built
apartments. They are designed even at small-sized premises, also in studios,
where they functionally and visually enlarge the small space of the flat. It is
also an investment - a property with no access to a balcony or terrace will be
harder to sell in the future. So if the offer is for a balcony surcharge, it is
worth taking into account. The approach to their use has also changed - they
cease to be a place for drying underwear or storage rooms, and sometimes even
home games. The balcony and terrace become additional rooms in a limited area
of the flat, its extension,
a place of rest and a green corner, which often replaces the garden. Therefore,
both the appearance and size of this zone can be crucial for the quality of
housing and living. In modern construction they are so spacious that they can
be arranged like rooms - not only table sets, but also sofas, couches, shelves
and plant stands, sandpits for children, etc. are used here.
Favorable location
The location of the
intermediate zone places is of great importance for the way they are used. The
balcony overlooking the busy street will not be as attractive as located from
the more secluded side of the housing estate, although it must be taken into
account that they can also be loud - children's playgrounds are often located
here. Nevertheless, if you are on the balcony from the yard or patio, you will
not be exposed to constant noise of traffic and inhalation of exhaust fumes. The
southern and western exhibition will make the balcony very sunny - rest here
will be very pleasant in the spring, but in hot summer it may become disruptive.
Summer relaxation on such a balcony can not be done without the installation of
an awning or an umbrella. The eastern location will make the balcony only sunny
until noon. It will be a good place to rest in the summer days. A scattered
sunbeams will reach the balcony with the northern exhibition. On the other
hand, Westerners will appreciate the lovers of the evening outdoor recreation -
if the view is not limited, for example, by an adjacent building, it will give
us the opportunity to enjoy sunsets. The downside of this location in the case
of bare balconies can be strong western winds.
Utilities from the
French balcony
The French balcony,
unlike the traditional one, does not have a balcony slab. The balcony window is
covered with a balustrade, which is an architectural element, perfectly fitting
into modern minimalist facade designs - usually we find it in buildings, where
the designer's intention took precedence over the functionality of the
apartments. An important aesthetic function is also played by balustrades. They
not only protect against falling out, they are also used in the role of
mini-gardens - you can hang flowerbeds on them. A balcony window with balustrade
can also be used as a utility - theoretically, you can air your bedding on the
balustrade or hang an advertising banner, but be careful not to litter the
façade. The balustrade, in contrast to the solutions typical of a classic
balcony, is very closely related to the window. Made of safety-glass pane or
high-quality plexiglass, both elements will be strongly integrated with each
other. In turn, the metal balustrade will be a strong, distinctive balcony
window element on the façade.
If the balcony or terrace
is located on the south or west facade, it is worth making its proper roofing.
Terrace over the garage
hall
In contemporary
multi-family housing, the arrangement of intermediate zones also uses flat
roofs above garages. When garage halls extend beyond the outline of the
building, their protruding flat roofs are designed as terraces belonging to
apartments located on the ground floor. If they are located on the inside of
the building, they are often connected to spectacular gardens. Terrace floors are
an integral part of garages, developers usually give them already finished with
flooring material, which guarantees the roof tightness and durability of the
terrace surface. This is a huge step forward in improving the technical
quality, because even in the buildings from the 90s and the beginning of the
21st century, the residents received a terrace in the raw state - roofs not
finished from the outside. If its finish delayed or made them inconsistent with
the art of construction, it often resulted in the immediate roiling of garage
roofs. Today, in the standard of finishing the developer, we also receive
balustrades separating the terraces from the external spaces and terraces of
neighbors. We also meet apartments with terraces in buildings designed as cascading
- then they are located above the ceilings of apartments on the floor below. The
most prestigious include the so-calledpenthouses, or apartments with terraces
on the roofs of the building - often these are spacious areas on which
attractive gardens are arranged. However, the price of such premises is among
the highest.
Loggia in modern
construction
This name is defined as
the form of a built-in balcony, created as a result of withdrawal of the open
space relative to the building's wall. A loggia floor is usually located above
the room below, it is usually part of its ceiling. In this way, the loggia
penetrates into the interior space, and its surface is partially covered by
side walls and roofed by the ceiling. The loggia can end with a balustrade
running in the elevation line or extended beyond the outline of the building. Often
occurs on several floors, then most often it is placed one above the other. It
can be a fragment of one internal room or pass through several rooms
simultaneously, even across the entire width of the building. A frequent
procedure is the location of a loggia on a large part of the front or side
facade. Usually it appears on the first floor of the building, where it is
slightly extended in relation to the surface of the ground floor wall. The
thick ceiling, side walls of the building and flat roofs are often a massive
border of modern loggias, giving them a distinctive character. They are often
equipped with a glass balustrade that does not obscure the views and introduces
lightness into a solid construction. There are many development projects in
which the loggias are built with glass sliding panels. Thanks to this, outside
the summer season, it can be an additional room, increasing the size of a flat
or apartment. Loggia as an intermediate zone between the interior of the
apartment and the surroundings can functionally enlarge the home space. In the
warm months it will facilitate the storage of, for example, sports equipment,
in cold storage of even food products. The glazed loggia can also become an
attractive winter garden and an additional living room or children's playroom. A
distinctive feature of modernity are sliding screens made of wood or composite
- they are a kind of blinds covering or revealing the interior of the loggia
depending on your needs.
Modern canopies of the
balcony and terrace
If the balcony or
terrace is located on the south or west facade, it is worth making its proper
roofing. Let's use materials that are easy to mount. A marquise is a good
solution. Made of weather-resistant material and aluminum construction, it
effectively protects against excessive sun exposure. Folding and unrolling
awnings can be done manually or automatically thanks to the installed
electrical installation. Electrically operated awning blind can be equipped
with a weather sensor that will react when it starts to rain or a strong wind
breaks - then it will fold automatically and unfold with the appearance of the
sun. A comfortable solution is also the use of roofs of acrylic or polycarbonate
panels that are light, resistant to impact and UV radiation. They often have a
long-term (up to 10 years!) Manufacturer's warranty. Polycarbonate can also be
made with a roof with opening elements. Installation of this type of roof is
very easy, so you can take it yourself - just a simple wooden or steel
construction. Membrane roofs permanently installed are extremely durable. Here,
the roofing element is a PVC-coated polyester fabric. It consists of several
layers, and because it has a high weight, it is resistant even to snow and
water loads. An interesting proposal is also a sail roofing - they are mobile
and can be freely moved. Their construction is steel, but light, and the covers
are made of a very strong impregnated fabric, which is used for the production
of sails. When a terrace or balcony has a traditional roof, for example in the
form of an extended roof of a building, a great way to light it is to put a
roof window or skylight in the roof.
