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a. Because it handles the angles

There鈥檚 always one isn鈥檛 there? When the owners of a country house in Winchester wanted a swimming pool pavilion they really wanted to make a splash: by specifying that it be hexagon shaped. And they wanted one side to fully open to the outside, leaving contractor Heseltine Carp to search for a door supplier that could fit the bill. Enter Dorma and its HSW-G slide and stack system.

The HSW-G sliding glass 鈥渨alls鈥� 鈥� using simple sliding top tracks 鈥� form a continuous surface unimpeded by side frames. Auxiliary functional components are hidden away and no floor channels mean no breaks in the flooring material, so nothing to whack your toe on when emerge from the pool area. According to Richard Carp: 鈥淣o other company could provide a solution.鈥�

b. Because it likes the sea air

If they could sing, you wouldn鈥檛 catch too many buildings belting out 鈥淚 do like to be beside the seaside...鈥� Sea breezes are the enemy of buildings, especially windows. Metal frames are susceptible to long-term damage when exposed to saline environments and while uPVC frames remain unaffected by salt, they can suffer from sealing difficulties and a lack of thermal rigidity.

At Whitehills Business Park in Blackpool, architect Croft Goode and contractor RBL Construction selected Samson windows from Octaveward over aluminium or uPVC. These are made from a pultruded thermoset plastic resin, with an embedded glass fibre reinforcement. The frame sections are similar to aluminium and slimmer than uPVC, but the best thing is that sea air does them no harm and they can handle intense solar radiation.

c. Because of its classical lines

The renovation of a former pub in the historic core of Portsmouth demanded modern windows that paid more than a nod to conservation. Now housing four homes the building鈥檚 original single-glazed windows have been replaced with units from Mumford & Wood鈥檚 Conservation range. Portsmouth Housing Association specified the double glazed timber sliding sash windows, which satisfied Portsmouth City Council鈥檚 conservation and design team because they are based on historically researched moulded sections making them virtually indistinguishable from the originals.

In this project a combination of small and large pane Georgian sliding sashes, manufactured with clear graded laminated timber, were used, some with centre bars and semi-circular fixed lights, as well as semi-circular sliders.

d. Because it adds a light touch

Let there be light! When Langstone Construction was hired to extend a domestic property the main priority was ensuring that the new living room could be opened up completely to give views across Chichester Harbour. Jeld-Wen鈥檚 Canberra patio door was the solution.

This range is supplied in two stains (light oak and baltic), a white painted finish, or it can be left untreated. Between two and six doors all slide and fold against each other into the corner of the frame.

鈥淲e used four Canberras in total, three in the living room and one in the kitchen, which makes the garden an extension of the home when the doors are open, giving a light, airy and spacious feel,鈥� said Langstone鈥檚 Mike Ison.

e. Because it adds a bit of glamour

This futuristic building is actually a new library and tourist information centre in Otley, a historic town in West Yorkshire. The dramatic design, featuring a stylish glazed curved gable end that slopes upwards to a sharp central point, was produced by Leeds City Council鈥檚 architectural department. The technology is an SCW curtain wall system from SAS.

Fabricator Aire Valley Architectural faceted the SCW thermally-broken box section profiles to form the semi-circular curtain walling to give the impression of a curved screen.

Come nightfall the blue, clear glass is illuminated by fluorescent blue lighting 鈥� bringing a sparkle of glamour to the centuries old Otley streets.