Schlich House

In a street which bellows vibrant green over spring and summer and striking autumn colours in the cooler months, Schlich House was a knock-down rebuild in the inner south of Canberra.

With climate a well-known discussion to Canberrans, thermal efficiency was part of the brief. AWS ThermalHEART™ with low-E glass was chosen to ensure thermal efficiency throughout the year and meet the required energy ratings without compromising on design.

To ensure excellent thermal performance is achieved, a thermal break is incorporated into this sliding door that separates the inside and outside elements of the frame, providing an insulator to minimise the transfer of heat or cold between the elements.

The clients wanted views of the pool from various rooms in the house. Because of this, the home was designed to wrap around a central pool in a U-shape, adding spatial drama to the space.

By deciding to use commercial frames, large window heights and widths were achieved. AWS fabricator Castle Glazing decided on the Series 852 top-hung sliding door. With the use of these commercial frames, sliding doors to the outdoor entertaining area had to be functional and slide effortlessly. Thermally broken top-hung sliding doors running on E3 quad rollers are easy to open and close and can hold panels weighing up to 250kg. This sliding door was also installed with a flush threshold.

Ceiling to floor windows were also part of the brief, making it a light-filled dwelling that engages the senses. Series 824 FrontGLAZE™ delivers excellent thermal performance and is ideal for commercial and high-end residential applications.

A large master bedroom window overlooks the front of the street. The clients said that the view out the window was an unexpected bonus when the large fixed panels were installed early in the construction process.

The choice of window frame finish had to complement the interior of the house. With the powder coat colour Mannex black chosen, it nicely frames the street, almost like a professional photograph.