With a south-westerly orientation and looking out over the garden and pool, the floor-to-ceiling units of the Schüco ASS 77 PD.NI sliding system allows almost unrestricted panoramic views. They also allow the façade in front of the living, eating and cooking areas to be opened as desired – depending on the temperature, season and preference of the residents.
Elche is situated in the Spanish province of Alicante, inland from Costa Blanca. Architecturally, Estudio Arn Arquitectos wanted to create references to the topology of the country house building style of the region. Elements of their reinterpretation primarily include the saddle roof and the use of light, natural stone for the inner and outer floors, as well as the north façade. The traditional stylistic elements are set in stark contrast to the vertical louvre blades and interior wood panelling with Iroko tropical wood from Africa, large-scale glazed aluminium façade units and exposed concrete.
Protected to the north; open to the south-west
The floor plan of the house consists of a square building section with an elongated wing attached in a south-westerly orientation, creating an angle of 45 degrees. The contrasting façade design of the two inter-connected building sections is closely related to the individual usage zones. Discreetly sheltered from view, the sleeping, dressing and bathing areas are housed in the cube. The angled wing accommodates the living, eating and cooking areas, which are all oriented towards the terrace, garden and pool and incorporate parts of the outside area.
Schüco International KG / David Frutos
The natural light in the northerly sleeping and bathing areas is let in through windows and window doors, some sections of which open out onto a light well that is sheltered from view (Schüco AWS 65 BS and Schüco AWS 50.NI).
Like other areas of the north façade, this light well with its natural wooden louvres and grids is in striking contrast to the light colouring of the natural stone façade panels and flooring.
Light through generous floor-to-ceiling system units
After the initial discreet, closed impression left by the entrance area and the northern section of the building’s façade, a completely transparent panoramic widescreen unfolds along the entire length of the south-western façade.
Have a look at this:
Jansen: Steel windows for the opera
Here there are unrestricted views of the terraced landscape with a pool, the garden and the countryside surrounding the plot with low-rise residential and commercial buildings dotted here and there. The special feature of this elongated, storey-height glass façade is the ability to open four areas measuring approx. 4 m x 3 m as desired using sliding doors.
The façade was constructed entirely with the Schüco ASS 77 PD.NI sliding system, the slimline Panorama Design of which permits storey-height glass areas to be created without any cross beams disrupting your line of sight. Embedded floor tracks ensure barrier-free transitions and produce seamless connections between the inside and outside spaces wherever this is desired.
Special system design for warm climate zones
Mild winters and warm summers – these Mediterranean climate conditions had an impact on the choice of design and the configuration of the sliding system. Schüco offers the ASS 77 PD sliding system in the non-insulated “NI” version especially for use in warmer climate zones.
Schüco International KG / David Frutos
This system design was used in the Vivienda en Elche project together with double-layer insulating glass that has a sun shading coating. As a special feature, the units were fitted with safety glass conforming to Resistance Class 2 – a requirement for increased burglar resistance, which the Schüco AWS 65 BS and AWS 50.NI window systems installed on this building also fulfil.
Fabrication and installation by Schüco partner Novalco Metales
When it came to the architectural aim of constructing the transparent sections of the building envelope with maximum proportions of glass, the largest possible units and the most slimline profile face widths, the fabricator played an important role. Schüco partner company Novalco Metales in Alicante advised the architects during the planning stage and presented design options and unit dimensions that would allow the building to be fitted with the Schüco ASS 77 PD system.
Schüco International KG / David Frutos
Owner and project manager, Paco Gea Miralles, was able to call upon his experience of fitting many sliding systems from the Schüco ASS system family. He confirms the importance of this type of construction in Spain: “Due to the warm climate, maximum advantage is being taken of the options and benefits offered by sliding systems in Spain.
This applies to private residences façades and offices located in buildings.” According to Gea Miralles himself, Novalco Metales has already successfully fitted the entire range of Schüco sliding systems to the full satisfaction of the clients.
Before you go, take a look at this:
Schüco: Health through architecture and design
In the case of Vivienda en Elche, the metal fabricator benefitted from its extensive experience, particularly when it came to planning and handling the 3 m x 4 m units, which are in no respect run-of-the-mill. Precisely tailored, carefully prefabricated in the workshops and precision crane work to position the units on site ensured a smooth installation process.
