Pop-out balcony is a breath of fresh air for stuffy hotel rooms and apartments

Humans have a fascination with things that transform. Today, our laptops can become tablets with a flick of the wrist. At the turn of the 21st century, pants that zipped off into shorts were (for some reason) everywhere. Go back further to the late 1980s and kids were looking just a little bit harder at that Pontiac Trans Am or Volkswagen Beetle driving by, hoping to catch a glimpse of a few robots in disguise.

A new invention from Amsterdam-based architecture firm HofmanDujardin may not involve warring factions of transforming robots, but the real-world possibilities it represents are exciting nonetheless.

Bloomframe is a mechanized window system that transforms, at the touch of a button, into a glass balcony in less than one minute. The window can help to open up and bring fresh air into what could otherwise be a cramped, enclosed space typical of many apartments in large cities.

Engineered by Kawneer France using lightweight aluminum, glass, and steel, Bloomframe has been rigorously tested under European safety codes.

When transitioning, the two separate glass panels of the window fold out to become the floor and front ledge of the balcony. The two side panels are formed from telescoping metal components that are hidden by the window frame when the balcony is in the closed position.

The dimensions, color, and materials for Bloomframe are completely adaptable, and it doesn’t require any major engineering work to install—meaning it can be easily incorporated in new or existing projects. 

An apartment building in Amsterdam, designed by HofmanDujardin, will provide the first real-world application of Bloomframe when it is completed later this year. Select dwellings in the 10-unit CPO De Hallen Noord Amsterdam complex will be equipped Bloomframe windows.