Contemporary Northern California architecture is about light, openness and the view. A conventional elevator, boxed inside solid walls, can feel at odds with that. Glass and pneumatic elevators were made for exactly this kind of house.
Two ways to a transparent elevator
Glass elevators
A cab with glass walls travels inside a glazed enclosure, which may be round, octagonal or rectangular. The drive is conventional, so the elevator can be sized generously and finished with metal and glass details to suit the house.
Pneumatic elevators
A clear cylindrical tube contains a cab that moves on air pressure. There are no cables and no pit. The whole unit is self-supporting and can be installed in an existing home with little building work.
How they compare
- Construction. Pneumatic needs the least. Glass elevators need a base and more site work.
- Cab size. Glass elevators can be larger. Pneumatic cabs are limited by the tube diameter.
- Look. Pneumatic is a sleek tube. A glass elevator offers more freedom of shape and finish.
- Sound. A pneumatic elevator is audible while rising. A glass elevator with a conventional drive is typically quieter in the room.
- Remodel or new build. Pneumatic suits remodels. Glass elevators are easiest to design into a new home.
Where to put one
- In a double-height entry
- Within the curve of an open staircase
- Against a window wall, to ride with the view
- At the junction of two wings
Practical considerations
- Privacy, since riders are visible
- Heat and glare beside large west-facing windows
- Cleaning access for the glass
- Cab size if wheelchair use is anticipated
Not only for looks
These elevators carry the same safety equipment as any other: door interlocks, emergency lowering and an alarm.
Explore the options
Nationwide Lifts of Northern California installs the Vision range of pneumatic elevators and glass elevators for new and existing homes. Call 888-323-8755 for a free consultation.