A hybrid in more ways than one

Designed and constructed by the architect Kingman Brewster, a newbuild in the small village of Joe Batt's Arm is strikingly modern. Brewster is from New York and moved from Brooklyn (NY) to Fogo Island with his family over ten years ago. Although the intention was to stay for just a few months, the family never left. Kingman Brewster has been respectfully marrying his contemporary sense of design and comfort with his appreciation for the local architecture ever since, which can be clearly seen in this family home: partly built on stilts, the building appears to float above the rocky landscape. This gives it a lightweight appearance, like a gentle footprint on lichen-covered rock. On the one hand, the stilts are practical for building on the uneven terrain, but they also pay homage to the typical wooden houses where the local fishermen process their catch. Aside from the stilt design, the small square windows are also reminiscent of the regional architecture. They frame the views from the inside, like a passe-partout, shining the spotlight on specific interesting details in the vast landscape. By contrast, large window and sliding units provide unobstructed views of the breathtaking surroundings and allow as much daylight as possible to flood the rooms. Schüco systems made of both PVC-U and aluminium have been used – the perfect material to suit requirements.

Comfort components for barrier-free use

The same is true of the PVC-U Schüco LivIng lift-and-slide doors that have been installed. They are thermally insulated to low-energy house standard and therefore create an internal climate that is pleasant at all times. With a basic depth of 82 mm, a frame value of Uf = 1.3 W/(m²K) and high-quality insulating glass, Schüco LivIngSlide achieves excellent thermal insulation values up to Uw = 0.80 W/(m²K). With its high level of weathertightness, the sliding system provides the best protection whatever the weather conditions. The lift-and-slide doors are also incredibly practical: the option of fitting them with an electric drive means that even large sliding units can be opened and closed easily and conveniently by means of a switch or smart home solution. The level threshold ensures complete ease of access and means there is no trip hazard. Due to its excellent thermal insulation properties, the thermally broken threshold also reliably prevents any draughty floor areas.

No discernible difference between PVC-U and aluminium

Even though some of the windows, sliding doors and fixed lights are made of aluminium and others of PVC-U in order to meet structural, visual and thermal insulation requirements, this has no impact whatsoever on the uniform appearance of the building envelope. As the various components have the same profile colour (traffic white on the inside, anthracite grey on the outside), there is no discernible difference between them. This gives the exterior of the building a calm, minimalist appearance – and helps it to blend in with its surroundings.