Innovative Schuco door and window systems from Capral Aluminium were installed at a beachfront home to dramatically enhance its thermal performance.

Designed and built by ABC Advanced Building Constructions, the Middleton Surf Shack uses thoughtful design to integrate the home within its spectacular natural setting. The building appears to dissolve the barriers between inside and out, merging with its surroundings while simultaneously protecting its occupants from the climate’s extremes.

Given the extreme temperature fluctuations in the area and the house’s exposure to strong sea winds, it was important to optimise thermal performance. Schuco’s corrosion-resistant framing systems could stand up to the harsh coastal environment.

Schuco double-glazed high performance awning windows manufactured with 10mm grey toughened/ 20mm Argon/ 15mm clear toughened glazing to the outer facing, were installed throughout the home, enhancing its thermal performance. The combined Schuco window system and glazing specification significantly improves internal comfort, reducing heat energy transmission through the massive glazed openings in the building’s façade, and minimising summer heat gain and heat loss in cooler months.

The slimline framing design of Schuco window suites creates a spontaneous sense of ‘flow’ within this beachfront home. Glazed doors and walls open the house’s airy internal spaces right up, with each room seemingly melding into the next, then into its unforgettable setting. The stylishly welcoming interior is highlighted by Schuco’s multi-award winning FWS60 curtain wall system.

Advanced Building Constructions carefully considered the window and glazing specification throughout this unique project, displaying sensitivity to the materials used and keen awareness of their natural resonances. The smooth transitions between rooms culminate in clear sightlines through to the spectacular adjacent shoreline, providing magnificent floor-to-ceiling views. The house creates its visual impact by organically merging with its surroundings, fully displaying Schuco’s high-performance window, door and curtain wall systems.

Schuco systems used in the Middleton Surf Shack project included Schuco ASS 39 PD.NI Panoramic Door aluminium sliding systems; Schuco AWS 65 thermally broken window series; Schuco ADS 65 HD door systems; Schuco FWS60CV aluminium window façade with concealed ventilation; and Schuco FWS60 aluminium window façade.

Photographer: Shane Harris