What Goes Into Elevated Balcony Design?
An elevated balcony is a beneficial addition to any home. A balcony is a liminal space between the inside and out that is sheltered and private, but at the same time, offers a view of the outside world.
This home feature is also beneficial in other ways. A balcony can increase the amount of living space and can make the room bigger than it is. It’s versatile and can be fitted with a storage closet or custom-built shed when a small space is a concern.
A balcony can also add architectural interest to the building and provide additional design options. It’s a great area to grow plants because it isn’t readily accessible to animals and pests.
Such a wide and open space filled with greenery could have multiple health benefits too. For one example, an airy balcony with a view can help promote relaxation. Having pockets of relaxation throughout your day helps you avoid the ill effects of stress like fatigue, cardiovascular problems, and migraines.
Speaking of a view, elevated balconies almost always have this feature. Whether overlooking a rolling field, woods, mountain, waterfront, or even a city always adds the view to the room.
In such cases, an elevated balcony can also increase the value of a house or building on the market.
But what Exactly is an Elevated Balcony?
An elevated balcony, as the name implies, is an indoor/outdoor structure typically found on high-rise buildings. Like the typical balcony that you’d find in most homes, it’s possible to use this space for growing plants, extra storage, an extension of the living room, or simply a cozy spot to relax in after a long and tiring day.
Design Considerations for Elevated Balconies
When it comes to an elevated balcony, there are two main design factors to consider.
Outlook. This refers to the view from the balcony. The outlook can be tricky to get right. That’s because it’s hard to control for, the views or the external perspective it falls outside the building footprint, by definition. Fortunately, almost any view can hold interest so it will boil down to constructing a balcony in a way that best frames the skyline of a great city or just the neighboring alley.
Refuge. This second factor is within the building designer’s control. When you think of refuge, you think of privacy. Having that sense of security that you have a place in your home where you can observe the panoramas or the flow of life outside without exposing one’s self to the general public. That sense of privacy is something that should be incorporated into the design of your elevated balcony. Some key considerations are the following:
- Height above the street
- Protection from side to side views
- Protection from the elements and from the view of neighboring eyes
Before construction on a balcony, it’s imperative to have the plans checked to ensure that it complies with the building safety codes in a city or state. If you’re in need of quality inspection services in southern California, check out Deck Inspector.
Deck Inspectors for Southern California is happy to offer our services in Los Angeles, Orange County as well as San Diego and all Southern California surrounding areas like: Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Santa Monica, Anaheim, Temecula, Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, and El Cajon
