This Guernsey modern house’s views find their frames in large vertical sliding sash windows.
Guernsey-based architectural firm, The Drawing Room, was tasked with fully redesigning a seaside house and turning it into a luxurious modern coastal home.
As a complete reconfiguration and remodelling of the space was essential to achieve the right flow of layout, the architects opted for demolishing the upper floor and roof to start anew, whilst retaining the support of the existing lower floor foundations.
From the very conception of the first designs, it was clear that structural glazing was the key to maximise the panoramic views without affecting the overall performance of the building, as well as seamlessly connecting the interior living and outdoor spaces.
This meant that the glazing specification from the architects had to feature a wide range of architectural glazing including our large vertical sliding sash windows and bespoke structural glazing throughout.
By the very nature of the plot’s exposed hilltop overlooking the sea, wind loading and thermal insulation specifications were essential to achieve both the Guernsey home renovation performance targets and optimal U values.
In fact, our vertical sliding sash windows have allowed The Drawing Room architects to embrace all the natural elements of the site despite the weather-related challenges posed by its topography, framing the stunning vistas that outstretch before the property without compromises.
To maximise and support the performance, size, and weight of the glass in a marine environment such as Guernsey’s, we combined our bespoke architectural glazing with the strength of pre-anodised aluminium framing, as untreated metal frames cannot withstand harsh coastal environments without corroding.
Upon entering the property, you are immediately greeted by an impressive 3.2m wide Apertio solid entrance pivoting front door, encased in our flagship Invisio oversized gable shaped glazing.
Once inside the grandiose reception, your eyes are drawn to the oversized glass wall with gable-end design and out to the most astounding coastal views, where our slim framed sliding doors encase the elevated glass wall leading to a bedroom on one side and a communal dining space on the other.
This is but one of the many ways in which our high-performance floor to ceiling and casement doors add simple functionality to the indoor space whilst maintaining the flow of light and connection to the outdoors.
In keeping with the home’s modern interiors, IQ supplied all the internal glazing using our Bauhaus inspired steel systems.
These internal steel windows and doors are designed to bring in swathes of natural light to visually bridge the interior and exterior spaces, while their thermal breaks maintain the desired temperature levels and eliminate condensation and mould.
The most notable example of this can be seen in in the master bedroom and guest suite on the ground floor, which boast our awe-inspiring gravity-defying large vertical sliding sash windows, fulfilling today’s architectural demand for maximum light and interaction with the outside thanks to the high levels of thermal insulation, solar protection, and transparency.
This sliding window system creates a double height space using a hidden pulley-controlled counterweights system to move the large panes of glass up and down. Once opened, the lower section remains fixed in place forming part of the balustrade, offering a modern, alternative twist on the Juliet balcony.
The horizontal frame which supports both panes of glass is only a remarkable 21mm wide achieving uninterrupted views with slim sightlines that lead to the beautiful indoors, which is exactly the desired effect.
To get in touch about a project in the Channel Islands or simply talk to us about our large vertical sliding sash windows…