Glass houses are undeniably beautiful, but completely impractical for most of us. English architects dRMM came up with a brilliant and unconventional way to solve most of the problems that plague glass homes. The Sliding House in Suffolk incorporates a 20-ton roof enclosure that slides to either expose or cover up the glass house.

When the cover is closed, the home looks like any any other, but with a modern glass front. When it slides back to expose the entire house, it becomes clear that all of the walls and ceiling are made of bright, clear glass.

Along with exposing the glass walls, the open sliding roof opens up to show a rooftop terrace with an outdoor bathtub. The tub allows the residents to bathe beneath the bright blue sky or the twinkling stars.

After sliding all the way closed to cover the home, the cover moves forward a bit more to form a small shelter in front of the home’s facade. Here, the residents can comfortably enjoy the outdoors shaded from the sun or partially protected from the elements.

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Hidden electric motors powered by solar panels move the cover back and forth. The residents, a retired couple who moved to the rural location to grow their own food, view the glass-walled home as a way to genuinely enjoy the picturesque surroundings.