24 September 2015
Large Span Window and Balcony Door Solutions from Wicona for New Luxury Apartments Scheme
One Westbourne Gardens is an exceptional new residential development in the heart of Bayswater in West London which has provided a collection of nine striking apartments featuring specially-engineered large span aluminium picture windows and balcony door solutions from Wicona.
This new building is set within an impressive white stucco-fronted façade which harmonises well with the listed buildings and handsome Victorian terraces nearby. Following planning consent, its design was progressed by Chartered Practice Architects for Fruition Properties. Each apartment has a contemporary design with luxuriously-appointed interiors and stunning full-height feature glazing from Wicona. Some of the properties in this exclusive development benefit from 'wrap around' roof terraces or overlook an integral winter garden.
Fabricated and installed by Oxted Windows, Wicona's new WICLINE 65 evo double vent balcony doors with heavy duty profiles were used to meet the architects' requirements for exceptionally large openings. These were up to 2.2m wide and 2.4m high, and specified in an open-in configuration for the apartments on the top floor and with no centre mullion for even wider access.
On the ground floor, large WICSTYLE 65 evo pivot doors with 2.8m high door leaves were used for the main entrance and are complemented by fixed light WICLINE evo windows, with open-in casements used from first floor upwards. To provide additional security and acoustic performance, all the glazing was low E laminated and toughened glass. The balcony door frames were faceted at the corner to express this visually dominant aspect of the building and some of the apartments have juliet glass balconies.
In the centre of the building is a winter garden courtyard with an open roof providing a light well and a unique amenity for residents. Wicona's WICLINE 65 evo open-in and open-out double vent windows and balcony doors look out onto this space from some of the apartments.
All the window and door systems were powder coated in a bronze colour and special heavy-duty fixings were engineered for the frames and to carry the extra-large glazed units. The windows also had rendered 'fins' running vertically down the centre which required careful detailing, particularly for installing cills and flashings.
Commenting on the project, Warren Hagues, Director at Chartered Practice Architects said, "We specified Wicona's windows and balcony doors for this scheme and they have proved to be the perfect fit. Creating large expanses of glazing to allow high levels of natural light into the building was an essential aspect of the design. We needed the products to be easily accessible, aesthetically pleasing and very secure. The systems also had to deliver enhanced acoustic protection, and comply with access requirements such as provide low level door thresholds."
"Both the WICLINE evo windows and balcony doors and the WICSTYLE evo pivot doors are excellent products and offer a high degree of design flexibility which was essential for this project and the extra-large spans we required."
Sustainability features of One Westbourne Gardens include roof-mounted photovoltaic panels to contribute to the building's communal energy requirements; building materials, windows and doors which all exceed Building Regulations for thermal efficiency and air tightness; an energy-efficient centralised heating, hot water and cooling system which utilises heat recovery, and smart metering for energy monitoring.
The finished building respects the character and appearance of the Bayswater Conservation Area and the glazing inserted into otherwise solid elevations is sympathetic to the composition of the existing buildings in the surrounding area.
WICLINE evo is Wicona's most advanced window and balcony door series to date. The new suite has been developed using German engineering and uses a single system with common components to achieve an almost unlimited range of opening and design configurations. This allows specifiers to realise complex yet attractive designs combined with a high level of functionality and precision.
WICLINE evo can achieve Uw values as low as 0.72 W/m²K, and there are options for enhanced security, bullet and burglar resistance, thermal and weather performance, acoustic protection, open-in and open-out systems, and a high quality range of window fittings.
For more information about Wicona's full range of door, window and curtain walling systems for complex and challenging projects, and its bespoke façade solutions, visit www.wicona.co.uk, email info.wiconauk@wicona.com or call 0845 602 8799.
Editor's Note
Wicona has more than five decades of experience in façade design and engineering, and offers a complete service from design concepts and BIM components for its product portfolio, to guidance with fabrication, installation, testing and handover. Wicona and its partners will manage the full façade project, ensuring a seamless approach and complete peace of mind for architects, contractors and developers.
