French window manufacturer Lumicene just unveiled the first built images of the LumiPod, a prefab dwelling with a curved glass window that slides open to blur the lines between indoors and out.

“LumiPod has been designed as a premium hotel room,” says Lumicene Managing Director Clément Salvaire. “It is very minimalist; we wanted to design something that would fit very well in the landscape. We designed and manufactured LumiPod as a finished product—almost like a piece of furniture and not a traditional building.”

Launched in May 2019, the LumiPod is Lumicene’s third prefab design following the LumiShell and LumiBar—both modular projects built around the company’s patented curved window developed in partnership with manufacturer Saint Gobain.

Unlike its predecessors, which were created in collaboration with French architects, the 194-square-foot LumiPod was designed in-house as a single-room prefab that’s easy to manufacture and transport.

The minimalist bedroom comprises two half-circle modules prefabricated in Lumicene’s Lyon factory, and it can be assembled on-site atop four screw piles or four concrete blocks in just two days with minimal environmental impact.

The rear module contains all of the technical equipment, while the front module, which includes the Lumicene window, is directly bolted onto the rear module on-site.

The oak-lined interior follows the standards of high-end hotel rooms with luxury finishes and fixtures from brands such as Vescom, Mosa, and Louis Poulsen. Customers also have the option of customizing their LumiPod with a variety of finish, fixture, and appliance options. A minimalist design approach puts the focus on the outdoor landscape, framed by full-height sliding glass panels.

“Closed, LumiPod is a comfortable and protective cocoon offering a panoramic view,” says Salvaire. “In a single gesture, you slide the glass panels open to switch from being inside to being outside.”

Lumicene recently expanded their LumiPod line to three sizes with curved windows that measure five, six, and seven meters in diameter—the LumiPod 5, LumiPod 6 and LumiPod 7.

The new LumiPod 6 is a larger, 280-square-foot version of the original LumiPod 5 with a single bedroom and ensuite bathroom. In contrast, the new family-oriented LumiPod 7 offers two bedrooms, a shared bathroom, and a living room/kitchen area within 388 square feet.

A turnkey LumiPod 5 currently costs 85,000 Euros (approximately $95,000), and the price does not include transport and installation, which are site-dependent. The current version of the LumiPod must be connected to electricity, water, and wastewater networks.

Five LumiPods have been installed to date across Europe with more anticipated in the coming weeks. The firm is currently working with hoteliers as well.

LumiPods are available across Europe. Lumicene plans to start manufacturing in the U.S. later this year with delivery of the first units expected in early 2021.

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record/Builder: Lumicene

Structural Engineer: Inexom