The second light in the house — a project, what it will give and what is required

Modern country houses with a second light are structures in which there are no interfloor ceilings. This solution contributes to the active penetration of natural light from the sun, but it has certain disadvantages.

Architects, as well as designers who know everything in a second light, note that this solution is not suitable for all homes. Non-standard design is adjacent to the strong transparency of housing on the second floor, and therefore disputes between those who are for and against such technology are still ongoing.

Like any method of decorating a house, the selection of a second light in a house should be based on an analysis of all its features. We propose to consider the nuances of such a solution, and how an additional light source in the house can be designed — photos of unusual examples in the article and design.

Features of residential buildings with a second light

Country houses or two-story apartments with second lighting represent a single space (residential), which is equipped with a huge number of window openings. A house that is decorated using this technology looks “airy” and spacious, the effect will be enhanced by the sweat of natural light freely entering through the windows. The basis for such architectural projects is the beauty of the surrounding landscape, because most of the finished house is occupied by panoramic windows. In general, what is the second light from an aesthetic point of view?

A technological method to emphasize the beauty of the environment, and therefore such buildings are best for those who own plots on the coast and in a beautiful hilly area. The implementation of the second light inside the house occurs either due to the fact that you get rid of the overlapping of the ceiling of the first floor, or by lowering the floor level. Option number 1 is the loss of residential-type rooms on the second floor, and then the owners of the cottage will receive a large living room. The second option is more popular, and it involves the installation of steps that lead to the living room, which is designed using a second light.

History of technology

Among professional architects, the removal of ceilings is popular as a “double-height hall”, and the name for the second light is given to the second tier of walls with windows that will provide a high level of illumination. With the use of this technology, the parade halls of castles, as well as palaces in the Middle Ages, were decorated. Double-height halls can be found in Russian and European parade halls; architects from the CIS often used this technique in the estate. The second light is a real decoration of the halls of the Grand Palace in Peterhof, which is in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, the Elysee Palace in Paris, the castle in Linderhof and Germany.

After the era of balls and palaces in the main hall was replaced by the Soviet democratic system, and buildings without floors were built for the needs of the public. The Palace of Pioneers on the Lenin Hills in the capital, as well as most of the main stairs in typical Soviet buildings, were supplemented with several window tiers. This will visually increase the available space in the room, giving the impression of a monumental building.

Current architects use the second light in the house when building a country house, and also in spacious two-level apartments. The relevance of the reception is due to the fashion for the beauty of the natural type in architecture — open spaces, natural materials without processing, a lot of light and a minimum of decorative elements. The abundance of aesthetic and durable finishing materials make it possible to create an unusually light, “airy” interior in a spacious house with a second light.

Technical features of architectural solutions

This design of the living space is used in a house with a large area — ideally more than 120 m², because the connection of two floors into one will reduce the number of living rooms. The result of using the second light is a large room with high ceilings, which needs to be equipped with an additional heating system. Simple radiators are not able to provide a comfortable air temperature, and especially if the house is built in a cold northern climate. The ideal effect from the use of second light will help to achieve large panoramic windows that can be finished in a residential building. Their location and shape are limited only by the imagination of the owners, but the number and size in a large number of modern buildings have been increased on average a couple of times to get natural light. The design of a house with a second light can be such that in such housing the stairs are not located in the center of the ground floor room, but along one of the walls, and often closer to the corner. this feature makes it possible to use the space more efficiently, without blocking the view of the owners and the single room of the structures of the flights of stairs.

Projects of residential buildings with halls where there are two lights create a spacious living room, and the rest of the rooms should be grouped around it, and at the same time there is no need for a large number of corridors. Traditionally, in such premises, the public area (living room, kitchen, hallway, as well as utility rooms) is located on the first floor, and the second will occupy the master’s bedroom.

Arrangement of a comfortable microclimate in the house

The main feature of the installation of residential heating with a second light is to counteract the uneven heating of the central room. Warm air will rise under the roofing, and at the same time the lower part will remain insufficiently heated. If the thermal insulation is not done correctly, cold air will begin to seep in and aggravate the situation.

The solution to the problem will be a system of underfloor heating — installing cables with electric or even heating pipes before finishing. The floor area is heated, and the temperature in the lower third of the living room will be raised. The flow of cool air that enters from the side of the roof is leveled, and eventually the room will receive a comfortable average temperature.

Typically, a floor heating system will provide an air temperature of no more than +60 degrees, and therefore it should not be used to heat rooms with a large volume. A universal version of the second light in the project of a house of any size is a combination of radiators and a warm floor system. This technological solution will create an optimal air temperature and resist the cold. For the successful functioning of engineering structures, it is required to provide an excellent level of heat retention by installing double-glazed windows with high insulation rates.

A technological solution for houses that stand in harsh climatic conditions is the installation of heaters in technological niches near window openings. At the same time, it is used as a natural convention — the lifting process of warm air upwards, and a ventilation system that forms a thermal curtain around window openings. A visually comfortable impression of the living space helps to make the right curtains. Depending on the size and location of the windows, curtains can become the main accent of the interior or even perform the practical protective function of the room from prying eyes. In any case, when installing cornices and selecting material for curtains, it is necessary to take into account the direction of light so as not to block its flow with a very dense fabric.

Pros and cons of a house with «second light» technology

The main attractive feature of residential buildings is a powerful lighting system that will combine natural light and large lighting fixtures that act as functional and decorative elements. A layout with a high ceiling visually helps to expand the space, and therefore the owners of the second lighting in a wooden house get the feeling of a spacious living space even when the entire territory is no more than 150 square meters. The absence of unnecessary partitions on the ground floor makes it possible to carry out zoning, and interior items are adjusted to the needs of the owners — the dining table can be easily moved to the relaxation area, combined with the spaciousness of the TV in the cooking process.

Panoramic windows and a high ceiling visually «let nature» into the living space, which will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the landscape, which is located outside the window. A frame house with a second light is unusual and attractive, although there are certain shortcomings, among which we highlight both objective shortcomings and technical properties that can be easily eliminated by experienced specialists. The main disadvantage of creating a house with additional lighting is the high level of costs for thermal insulation, huge windows, and also heating the entire room. Like most modern original technologies, and additional light does not apply to economical options for building a house.

A single room on the ground floor will contribute to the spread of aromas and sounds throughout the housing, and this is not always comfortable. Finishing work, selection of decor and maintenance of windows (washing, replacing light bulbs, curtains in lighting devices) requires either using a high stepladder or paying for the work of specialists. Refusal of interfloor overlap will lead to a decrease in the number of living rooms. This feature will be offset by an increase in the area on the second floor, where the required premises are located. Complicated calculations and the process of installing a heating system are easily performed at the required level by qualified technicians and engineers. For example, the construction of a frame house with additional turnkey lighting will include the installation of a technologically advanced heating system.

Projects

Classic wooden houses with additional light make it possible to combine comfort and warmth from natural materials with the “airiness” of the interior, which is made using the technology of second light. Below are some projects that you might like.

Conclusion

The second light is an old technology for arranging residential type houses, resulting in a second life in the modern building materials market. A consistent approach to the issue of designing, erecting and finishing buildings using this type of lighting will delight owners with an unusual and practical home.