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Window or Balcony? Bloomframe says: Maybe, both!

All Articles Technology Industry Focus
Posted by
Ar. Roopa Sabnis Pinge
on April 04, 2016 at 05:24 PM

Bloomframe – an innovative solution to urban living – sees the evolution of the concept of a kinetic window! Convertible from a window to a balcony, and back – Bloomframe brings new hope to apartment dwellers! Of course, the operating system must be foolproof before it is introduced in the open market. Factors of installation, security, and water-proofing must be thoroughly addressed; but an idea is the first step towards any great creation.

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In the congested urban settings we inhabit, with pigeon-hole sized apartments being the norm rather than the exception; windows are usually the only source of natural light and ventilation. A balcony is the urban apartment-dweller’s most luxurious form of access to the sky. And in the restrictive real estate scenario, balconies in low to mid-level apartment blocks have become virtually extinct. 

But design is all about ideas. When a problem appears, a solution is never far behind. Of course, it must be practical, economical, adaptable and aesthetically congruent with the context. Imagine, then, a cosy little balcony sliding out from the facade of an apartment block! Without consuming extra FSI, and adding marginally to the cost, one gets a private space to catch a bit of fresh air and sunlight! 

The designers at HofmanDujardin and manufacturers at Kawneer have been working on the project of kinetic Bloomframe Windows which transform into open-air balconies at the mere click of a button.

The design was introduced with a splash in 2008, with a video rendering and later that year the designers showed a functional prototype at a Paris expo. The first model showed an opaque floor; however subsequent videos released by Bloomframe show two panels of glass which fold out into the air.

Creating a product that works well and looks good has proved to be a challenge, yet continuous research and development goes on at the design unit, to evolve a system that can be easily incorporated into construction in times ahead.

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