Sky-Frame

04 Sep 2014
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2 min read
Come rain, come shine, Sky-Frame windows will make any view beautiful, with innovative designs and flawless finish. We spoke to owner, Beat Guhl…
What’s the aim of Sky-Frame?

When I started Sky-Frame I didnot just envisagecreatingthe perfect sliding window, but also opening living spaces when he embarked on Sky-Frame. I developed the filigree Sky-Frame sliding window system in 2002. The premium-quality product rapidly became a hot favourite among architects and clients. Sky-Frame currently features in more than 4,000 completed projects in 24 countries. Today the three-strong team at the company’s start-up has now mushroomed into a 100-plus headcount.

Tell us about what Sky Frame windows are about…

Free-flowing living space |With Sky-Frame, the dream of a light, airy home environment becomes reality. The filigree window system with its flush-mounted sections affords breathtaking views and evokes the feel of living at the heart of nature – 365 days a year. The slim mullions, a mere 20 mm wide, help to engineer a fusion of indoor and outdoor space that lends Mediterranean flair even to homes in more northerly climes. Admitting up to 98% of daylight, the Swiss-made, premium-quality product ensures the creation of light-flooded spaces.

Maximum design freedom |Sky-Frame offers tremendous scope for creativity. The options for personalized design are practically boundless. Various opening configurations and corner solutions allow the free combination of fixed and sliding elements to match the required layout of the living spaces. Up to 75% of the up to four-metre-high sliding fronts can be completely opened. With the new Sky-Frame Arc curved sliding elements, even organic shapes can now be accommodated.

A marriage of aesthetics and convenience |Fully automatic and insect-free. Sky-Frame’s electronic control system offers unbeatable living comfort. The telescopic drive, tucked away from sight in the window frame, guarantees absolutely soundless operation. Moreover, use of the in-house-developed insect screen allows residents to relish the view even in summer, without being plagued by insects. The screen’s tension cords are made from tear-resistant Vectran fibres, which are extremely hardwearing and can be retrofitted to any Sky-Frame sliding window system. When not in use, the pleated screen fully retracts into the frame.

Supreme insulation performance| The system boasts outstanding insulation values thanks to the use of fully thermally broken sections. Tight-fitting aluminium frames at wall, floor and ceiling prevent condensation and drafts. Sky-Frame 3 is the most suitable choice where requirements are particularly stringent. The triple-glazed sliding window is certified to the Swiss Minergie and Minergie-P energy efficiency standards (equivalent to German passive house standard) and can also be manufactured for enhanced sound control performance. Sky-Frame is also suitable for urban sites and locations with high noise exposure, having been successfully tested for sound reduction values up to 44 dB. This would turn the roar of a jumbo jet into the gentle hum of a propeller plane.

Absolute security| Sky-Frame also sets new industry benchmarks in terms of security. Sky-Frame elements incorporate only heat-soaked toughened glass or, where required, laminated safety glass meeting Resistance Class 2 (RC 2) to DIN V ENV 1627. All sliding doors, which are designed to withstand tensile loads far exceeding 300 kg, can be optionally equipped with an unlocking/locking function that automatically operates on opening/closing. It is also possible to integrate alarm sensors in the glass, sections and fasteners.

We hear you have a curved window in your 2013 collection…

Yes,Sky-Frame’s latest product innovation – Sky-Frame Arc – unlocks unique design potential. The new curved sliding element allows the creation of dynamic forms and organic, curvilinear shapes and it’s available in conjunction with Sky-Frame 2 and 3.

Find out more about Sky-Frame’s windows atsky-frame.ch.