November 6, 2013

Glass Trends: Large Sliding Glass Doors

Written by Rebecca Clayton

IQ Glass have long been at the forefront of glass technology and finally the trends in architecture and design are finally catching up with what glass can achieve. This this series of blogs IQ will be looking at architecture in the media to see what the current trends are and how these impressive glass designs can be used on your project.

1. Large Sliding Glass Doors

Credit Zac Munro Architects

Minimal windows is a well-established solution to minimal framed sliding doors on all manner of building types and designs. The 21mm profile is the thinnest available on the market with impressive thermal, acoustic and weather resistance performance,

You just have to look at programs such as Grand Designs to see the trend towards this trend over the past few years. IQ Glass ourselves have been featured on the program, providing these high end sliding glass doors to ‘grand designs’ all over the UK.

Now the call for bigger and better has brought minimal windows 4+ to the forefront of high end architectural glass solutions. These oversized sliding glass doors can hold a massive 12m2 of highly insulated triple glazed glass in a slim, near frameless aluminium frame.

The Lea, Worcestershire

These huge panels not only look fantastic, maintaining minimal vertical sightlines, creating a flush floor finish and hiding all external framing, but offer the highest thermal performance available, a Uw value of only 0.8 W/m2K.

Fully tested at Rosenheim in Germany, the sliding glass doors reached the highest class in water resistance, air permeability and resistance to wind meaning that these beautiful glass items can also be used on properties under the harshest environments in the UK.

As the ‘grand’ Kevin McDonald said: “Modernism… was all about glass walled buildings, light and space and white emulsion. When they tried to do it in Britain they were doing it in in buildings with no insulation, no double glazing, which were cold and damp and rapt with condensation. Nowadays we have insulation, we have triple glazing… it’s as though… modernism has finally come of age”

near frameless sliding doors do not interrupt views

A recent project completed in Worcestershire by IQ Glass incorporates the exclusive minimal windows 4+ sliding door system to the rear of the extension. Surrounding the near frameless glass cladded zinc panels create a stark contrast between the traditional brock and the new.

IQ’s large sliding glass doors wrap around three faces of the extension opening at each corner to take advantage of the endless views. When the sliding doors are viewed as open you can really see the indoor outdoor effect that the step-less track offers the minimal windows 4+ system.

the sliding doors create a flush floor finish inside to outside

IQ Glass UK are the only warrantied company in the UK able to offer a fully guaranteed minimal windows  and minimal windows 4+ installation – don’t be fooled by copycat products.

Contact IQ Glass UK today for more information on large sliding glass doors or the project in Worcestershire.

You can view more images of ‘The Lea’ project in Worcestershire at our Project Gallery and also on our Facebook page or Pinterest.

www.iqglassuk.com

hello@iqglassuk.com

01494 722880